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

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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
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

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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
With the resulting personal-foul call, that turned into an 18-yard net loss. Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025 Nix finished his rookie season with all lights turning green, his 34 total touchdowns prompting Payton to say that the former Oregon star would rank among the league's top five quarterbacks in a few years. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
To add insult to injury, Death Valley as a surface-level alien conspiracy in the Eisenhower era is far less interesting from its onset and deeply unsatisfying, being riddled with inconsistencies at every turn. James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025 While not all traditional left turns are barred in New Jersey, the state does implement jughandles as a means for cars to make safer left turns on high-traffic roadways. Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • Otherwise, there’s no reason for Banks to be rotating with Cor’Dale Flott, who has been the better player at every stage of this position battle.
    Dan Duggan, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Guests can enjoy amenities such as a heated pool, hot tub, sauna, rotating art exhibitions, and landscaped courtyards with firepits and hammocks.
    Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The officer swung his undercover truck around, radioing his team to converge on a man who was depositing a $50 bill into the machine.
    Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Advertisement Before the King can swing his blade, Ji-yeon gets in his way.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Its music is both jazzier and more operatic; the flow and technical blueprint of each stage completely deviate from what’s been seen before.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The designation qualifies the site for a special use permit that would allow the plans to deviate from the land-use and density requirements of the La Jolla Planned District Ordinance, subject to further project review by the HRB.
    Ashley Mackin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Goldberg-Polin has become a global advocate for the remaining hostages, meeting with world leaders and speaking publicly about her loss.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The prolonged legal proceedings moved about 100 miles northeast to Kenton County because the mystery surrounding Brenda Sue Schaefer's death had become a high-profile case in Louisville.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Traditionally, Sean Payton’s teams deploy a revolving personnel carousel that can leave opposing defensive coordinators dizzy.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The agency would have to direct $10 million from the Main Street Housing Rehabilitation revolving loan fund to the program.
    Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Instead, the Mets are back to square one, pondering a new kind of disappointment.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Over a mashup of fiddles and guitars, Tod and Jennings blend their rough-hewn voices on a song about consequences for older vices and choices, pondering when the consequences of those actions outweigh the vices themselves.
    Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Betterment Learn More Minimum deposit and balance Minimum deposit and balance requirements may vary depending on the investment vehicle selected.
    Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Achieving cost parity with China for batteries requires production at scale, and that scale depends on strong, sustained demand for EVs, the largest battery consumer.
    Rebecca A. Fannin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In 1921 Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara theorized that two vortices spinning through fluid (which is exactly what tropical cyclones are) could come close enough to each other to begin orbiting a common central point.
    Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The wideout caught a Colts QB Daniel Jones throw for what would have been a sensational 76-yard touchdown in the third quarter, spinning away from two tacklers.
    George Ramsay, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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