turn 1 of 2

1
as in to rotate
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis turned the doorknob as quietly as possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to swing
to change the course or direction of (something) the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around he turned his cart uphill

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction we turned left at the light the storm unexpectedly turned south and missed our area

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to become
to eventually have as a state or quality will turn 12 in six months

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5
6
7
as in to depend
to be determined by, based on, or subject (to) what we do next turns on your answer to the following question

Synonyms & Similar Words

8
as in to spin
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around all the new information made his head turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

9
as in to persuade
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge he did his best to turn his new friends against his ex-wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

turn

2 of 2

noun

1
2
3
4
5
as in bout
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a sudden turn of dizziness that may have been brought on by a change in her medication

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group between the show's two major musical acts, there was a short turn by a juggling troupe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of turn
Verb
Also, working the studio each week could turn into a grind for Jordan. Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025 The nine-horse sprint turned into a four-horse battle by the final stretch and featured several lead changes. Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 17 May 2025
Noun
At almost every turn, they were guarded, held at gunpoint and kept in such deplorable conditions that one of them developed countless sores, another could not walk and a third had serious health conditions that went untreated. Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 16 May 2025 The British would in turn face lower trade barriers on automobiles, though the 10-percent universal baseline tariff—which impacts goods from the U.K.—will remain in place. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • Tracks haven’t rotated in and out of the calendar since Hockenheim and the Nurburgring shared hosting duties for the German Grand Prix between 2008 and 2014.
    Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • When baking in a skillet, rotate the pan a quarter turn every 10 minutes.
    Josh Miller, Southern Living, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • In between the European trips, Biden had swung back to the United States to be at home in Wilmington, Delaware, for the verdict of his son Hunter Biden's guns case trial.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Happ’s oblique bothered him the most when attempting to swing.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • In space, satellites deviated from their trajectories due to the changes in air density caused by the sudden heating triggered by the energetic processes.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 9 May 2025
  • Industry stakeholders argue that the USCIS’s current two-year requirement deviates from both the law and investor expectations, potentially jeopardizing long-term projects.
    Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • After about seven days of feeding, the larvae drop to the ground, burrow into the soil and pupate, becoming an adult screwworm, according to the USDA.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 13 May 2025
  • In the 1990s, when gender-affirming treatment options became more widely available to trans people, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) categorized being transgender as a disorder.
    Quispe López, Them., 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Garcia pointed out the movie will have an uplifting dimension, revolving on the strong bond between a mother and her son.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 14 May 2025
  • Too many individuals think the world revolves only around them.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That could also come into play as Dungey and her team ponder more comedies on TBS and another tentpole drama for TNT.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 14 May 2025
  • While Malibu leaders ponder the future, the state of most of the septic systems along PCH remains a mystery.
    James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2025
Verb
  • Silicon Valley’s workforce, economy and future depend on it.
    Cynthia Teniente-Matson, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
  • Astronauts depend on music, auditory cues and ambient feedback to stay focused and grounded.
    Harshal Shah, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • In a video posted by PBR, That Mexican OT spun away from a charging bull on two occasions, just barely escaping its horns.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 May 2025
  • There are plenty of reasons to believe Milwaukee wouldn’t go for such an offer: Butler doesn’t exactly fit a rebuild timeline (and an unhappy Butler has made waves before), and spinning his sizable contract off to another team would likely prove difficult.
    Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 13 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on turn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!