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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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

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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
The idea to turn the cottage into a museum emerged around 2000. Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 May 2026 Shifting gears confidently into the second half of the season, this week’s episode has a more cohesive feel than the show has been able to manage so far, turning a series of interrelated crises into a Magnolia-esque montage of desperation from most of the major characters. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 3 May 2026
Noun
Getting ahead of the story before her turn as host tonight, Wood did a timely promo video earlier this week, per our report at the time. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 2 May 2026 Danon Bourbon and So Happy, who were stalking Six Speed, moved to challenge for the lead on the far turn, with the Japanese horse moving better. Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • For Love in the Time of Cholera, 1989, for instance, Pau uses early Picture-in-Picture (PiP) technology to frame clips from Zuni’s 1988 October/Decameron stage performance, which then float, rotate, and cascade across the screen.
    Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026
  • The collection includes thousands of pieces on rotating exhibit.
    Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Chevron's refiners swung to a loss of $817 million compared with a profit of $325 million in last year's quarter, due to the lower margins, the timing effects on financial hedges and higher transportation costs.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 1 May 2026
  • But two surprise special election victories in March buoyed Democratic hopes that Florida’s Republicans and independents could swing sharply left this year.
    Shauna Muckle, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The CosmicFlows catalogue, organized by astronomers in France and Hawaii, is a record of measurements of the 'peculiar' motions of galaxies, or rather, their motions that deviate from that expected by the continuous expansion of space.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 May 2026
  • As part of its IDEM permit, BP is required to report any emissions that deviate from the standards in the Clean Air Act, according to the agency statement.
    Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As the Moon enters Sagittarius, your 4th House of Home becomes more active, bringing attention to your environment and emotional base.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
  • Rob Carr / Getty Images Before starting her stable, DeVaux climbed her way up the ranks, beginning as a stable worker for the late Chuck Simon before becoming an assistant trainer for Chad Brown.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • That structure can make budgeting easier and provide a clearer timeline for becoming debt-free compared to paying just the minimum on a revolving credit card balance, which can stretch the repayment process out for years or even decades.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 4 May 2026
  • States can expand the role of green banks and revolving loan funds, using limited public dollars to unlock significantly larger pools of private investment.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • As Jeff Sanders wrote (here) on Thursday, the Padres are pondering a lot of different ways to deal with their starting pitching situation in the coming weeks.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
  • Graham may have finally assumed her rightful place in the newspaper-movie canon, but we’re still left to ponder her absence from the most iconic journalism movie of the 20th century.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The way coffee interacts with adenosine and cortisol is really complex, and can differ from person to person, depending on their biology, circumstances, and environment.
    Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Treatment frequency typically depends on your starting point and your specific biology.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Even brand-name billionaire developer Rick Caruso’s $100 million-plus campaign war chest and spin on latter-day Rockefeller Republicanism couldn’t win him the mayoralty last go-around.
    Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2026
  • Try Audible for free Hands caked with mud, fingertips diced by a thousand tiny cuts, and my wheels were spinning again.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

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