turn 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈtərn How to pronounce turn (audio)
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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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

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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to revolve
to move in circles around an axis or center the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving

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6
as in to ponder
to give serious and careful thought to turned the question every which way but could find no answer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 4

noun (1)

1
as in walk
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure would you care to take a turn around the garden?

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2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance one good turn deserves another

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tendency
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding

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4
as in bend
something that curves or is curved right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right

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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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turns

3 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of turn
1
as in rotates
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
2
as in swings
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 deviates
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 becomes
to eventually have as a state or quality will turn 12 in six months

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in revolves
to move in circles around an axis or center the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in ponders
to give serious and careful thought to turned the question every which way but could find no answer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in depends
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 spins
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 convinces
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

turns

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural of turn
1
as in walks
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure would you care to take a turn around the garden?

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in services
an act of kind assistance one good turn deserves another

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tendencies
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bends
something that curves or is curved right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in bouts
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 acts
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
Some critics on social media counter that the gatherings risk turning spirituality into spectacle, performance and commodity all at once. — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 This legislative session, lawmakers changed the state’s law to include e-bikes, closing a loophole that came to light after a 2024 case where a driver turned into an e-bike rider in downtown Boise. — Idaho Statesman, 3 July 2026
Noun
Thanks to an influx of Italian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century, Philadelphia is home to some of the oldest Italian bakeries in the country. — Regan Stephens, New York Times, 2 July 2026 The encounter began after Officer Yasmani Gonzalez attempted to stop Calvo for making a left turn from a lane designated for right turns only. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
Verb
The heat domes tend to form where the jet stream turns northward, moving up and over the dome itself and leading to strong flows of hot air from the south to the north near the Earth’s surface. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 1 July 2026 The roads specialist built a system that turns ordinary dashcam footage into a detailed assessment of road conditions, repair costs, and community impact in hours instead of weeks. — Vicki Phillips, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Noun
In major cities like New York or London, the cost of living turns dating into a class issue. — Meehika Barua, Time, 6 July 2026 Handling is responsive and precise during turns, which is exactly what drivers need from such a small and mighty vehicle. — Charles Singh, USA Today, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
  1. rotate
  2. swing
  3. deviate
  4. become
  5. revolve
  6. ponder
  7. depend
  8. spin
Verb
  • The weekly series along the New River also includes live music, a farmers and craft market with a rotating lineup of local businesses and artisans, as well as gourmet food vendors.
    — Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2026
  • Deschamps has rotated between Lucas Digne and Théo Hernandez in that position with both players much more effective going forward than covering the space behind them.
    — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of rotate
Verb
  • Beat a prime Holloway at 170, though, and the door swings back open to the paydays he's chased since the rematch became official.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • To the fans who have watched the Warriors swing and miss on free agents and various trade targets over the last few years, watching Simons sign with another team was painful.
    — Nick Friedell, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of swing
Verb
  • Honda's vehicles feature a distinct design language and identity that evolves without deviating from the brand's ethos.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • And yet at the start of the Mass, a priest read aloud a statement justifying the consecrations as a necessary defense of the faith and criticizing how the Catholic Church today had deviated from tradition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • As Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's reported wedding approaches, experts say the ceremony is poised to become much more than a celebrity milestone.
    — Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Swift is known for her Fourth of July parties, which have become Rhode Island lore.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 2 July 2026
Definition of become
Verb
  • The innovation used a revolving cylinder and a reversible wringer to separate and clean clothing.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
  • For those carrying tens of thousands of dollars in revolving debt, those interest charges can make the repayment process feel like a moving target.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Definition of revolve
Verb
  • This anxiety often leads to rumination, where individuals endlessly ponder potential outcomes without actual preparation, mistakenly equating thinking with problem-solving.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Bravo is sipping its cuppa and pondering what to do about those interesting ladies across the pond.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 July 2026
Definition of ponder
Verb
  • An inconclusive ballistics result is not uncommon, as the analysis depends on the size and condition of the bullet fragments recovered.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office expects the measure to bring in between $5 billion and $15 billion annually, depending on how the stock market is performing, with the amount expected to grow over time.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of depend
Verb
  • Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing spun to face home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, holding up his mitt with the ball inside.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The find came after the observatory's camera also helped to identify in January a massive asteroid nearly the size of eight football fields that was confirmed to be the fastest-spinning large asteroid ever found.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Definition of spin

Phrases Containing turn

Browse Nearby Words

turmoils
turn
turnabout
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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on turn

Nglish: Translation of turn for Spanish Speakers

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