turn 1 of 2

Definition of turnnext
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

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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

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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

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

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5
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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

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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

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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

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turn

2 of 2

noun

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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

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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

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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
But faculty worry that things could turn dark again. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026 Pavelski, who turns 42 next month, retired after the 2023-24 season and spent this past year as the head coach of his son’s team, the 15U AAA Madison Capitols in his native Wisconsin. Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 7 June 2026
Noun
Dooley in turn donated at least $100,000 to Hardworking Americans, Kemp's political action committee, which is now funding Derek Dooley's Senate campaign, according to reports. Irene Wright, USA Today, 6 June 2026 Spencer Pratt's journey from reality television villain to Los Angeles mayoral contender has taken another unexpected turn as the former reality star appears positioned to face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff election. Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • Another round of storms will develop near an advancing cold front in the afternoon across northeast Kansas, southern Iowa, and northern Missouri, possibly starting as supercells — large rotating thunderstorms — with very large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes, the weather service said.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026
  • The dinner costs $70, and the menu rotates regularly.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • From this perspective, the pendulum has fully swung from being near resistance and overbought to being near support and oversold.
    Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 10 June 2026
  • Once the board was attached, the contestant swung the board around by, yep, the spike in his nose.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Some systems deviate significantly from this proto-structure.
    Doris Elin Urrutia, Space.com, 8 June 2026
  • Did the driver deviate from their route?
    Toni Pisano, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • If anything, the incident has become part of brand Beckham mythology; an early indication of David and Victoria’s fashion-forwardness and media savvy that has morphed into today’s multimillion-dollar sport, beauty and business empire.
    Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • Now that the King has been dead for nearly 50 years, the impersonators have become more iconic in Vegas than the actual person.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Clients who receive financial counseling substantially reduce their revolving debt over time.
    Ali Besharat, The Conversation, 4 June 2026
  • United spent around £250million on new players in 2025-26, even without Champions League football, leaning heavily into their short-term revolving credit facility (RCF) to meet cashflow needs.
    Mark Critchley, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • It’s all added up to a potential worst-case scenario for Republicans pondering the midterms.
    Bloomberg, Oc Register, 3 June 2026
  • Recently, that other long-running music magazine published a list of the 100 Greatest Punk Albums and their picks left me pondering the exact boundaries of punk (which, admittedly, is not a very punk thing to do).
    Brendan Hay, SPIN, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Spain depend on his genius every bit as much as Barcelona.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • The deeper resonance depends on each person’s particular context.
    Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Often mixed in to the beat are noisemakers like matracas – wooden objects in the shape of flags that produce a loud clacking sound when spun – and plastic horns called cornetas, which fans use to keep the matches animated from start to finish.
    Michael Rios, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • This is Linda Clover, volunteer, curator, and caretaker of the 46-foot-wide creation, who’s met thousands of tourists from all over the world at the ball eager to spin some twine and a story.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

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