turnstile

noun

turn·​stile ˈtərn-ˌstī(-ə)l 

: a post with arms pivoted on the top set in a passageway so that persons can pass through only on foot one by one

Examples of turnstile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the 36-year-old didn't perform up to offensive expectations and was a virtual turnstile on defense. —ABC News, 25 May 2026

Tottenham’s home game against Southampton in February 1950 saw 70,302 click through the turnstiles at the old White Hart Lane. —Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 21 May 2026

This past weekend was a quieter frame at domestic turnstiles, but the results demonstrated the value of keeping movies in theaters for a long stretch. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 May 2026

Video shows the cop grab Suarez by his jacket and haul him up the steps to the mezzanine, before pushing him out an emergency exit door by the turnstiles, court documents show. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for turnstile

• argyle
• awhile
• beguile
• compile
• condyle
• defile
• erstwhile
• exile
• freestyle
• gentile
• hairstyle
• lifestyle

Kids Definition

turnstile

noun

turn·​stile -ˌstīl 

: a post having arms which turn around that is set in an entrance or exit so that persons can pass through only on foot one by one