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

The backups spent the rest of the night treating Jim Harbaugh’s reserve units like turnstiles. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026

Cincinnati’s defense should be much improved and its offensive line remains a turnstile, but the targets king from 2025 (185) should again flash the YAC and tally an obscene PPR line. — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

In about a quarter of them, 62 cases, soldiers single-handedly stopped people suspected of a crime, often for things like shoplifting or jumping turnstiles to avoid paying subway fare. — Brad Heath, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026

And last summer, farmers actually set up a turnstile to charge people traipsing through their fields to get a good shot of the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 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