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
By 1913 Henry Ford’s moving-belt assembly line cut build time to 93 minutes, and cheap Texas oil kept the tank full, turning personal mobility from luxury to the default setting. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 22 June 2025 Fans looked to Beecham for an escape, for unique basketball insight, and often, younger fans looked up to him as a fan turned content creator who transformed his passion into his career. Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Noun
The wide-ranging performance of Day is revelatory; every inch of Charity’s joy and heartbreak is a masterful turn. David John Chávez, Mercury News, 21 June 2025 From a small drugstore founded before the turn of the 20th century to a beloved bookseller sought after by some of today’s biggest authors, Anderson’s has stood the test of page-turning time. Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • But internal controls, like segregation of duties, dual approvals or rotating high-risk job functions, don’t signal distrust.
    Toby Braun, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Defensively, roles are still to be determined on the line, but players rotate so frequently at that spot that there isn’t major intrigue in that battle.
    Dan Duggan, New York Times, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • The next step, Thomson said, is to get Harper outside Friday to throw more and swing off a tee.
    Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • Telfar bags swung next to kente cloth wraps, and authors like Clarence Haynes signed copies of his new novel, The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery, as lines snaked through the crowds.
    Essence, Essence, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • The fatal flight’s initial trajectory in the air is also somewhat typical and does not deviate significantly from the previous seven Air India Flight 171 departures from Ahmedabad, according to historical flight data.
    Mika Gröndahl, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • The image had shown a dessert dramatically deviating from the typical McDonald's serving, yet presented without explanation—leaving much to speculation.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Hopes for a new $600-per-child state income tax credit aimed at hundreds of thousands of households eventually became a flat $250 payment — and only to families making about $67,000 per year or less.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
  • Patch’s father, Daniel R. Patch, Sr., began working at the funeral home in 1967, became an owner in 1978, and changed the game to Peterson & Patch in 1995, a year after his son joined the business.
    Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • The central theme of Season 2 revolves tightly around how well Sauron can narcissistically charm his way into the hearts of those around him, until, like a frog in a slow-boiling pot, the objects of his desires realize they’ve been manipulated the entire time.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 8 May 2025
  • In a sport that revolves so much around India, Australia and England, it’s been a breath of fresh air that South Africa made a barnstorming run to the final.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Verb
  • But something else to ponder: If the 2025 Club World Cup is a bit of a wash-out, will 2029 attract enough money to offer a similar prize pot?
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • The time to ponder that question, set up boundaries, and guide how A.I. is assimilated into our workflow and lives was yesterday.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • Much will depend on how the situation plays out on the battlefield, as well as how the U.S. responds.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
  • The regime lives or falls depending on what happens next.
    Ian Pannell, ABC News, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Versant, which will be lead by CEO Mark Lazarus when Comcast spins the company off later this year, has been building up a corporate structure — with several executives coming from NBCU’s news operations.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 June 2025
  • The iconic address’ upstairs is all about pitchers of local wheat ales and country DJs spinning Morgan Wallen hits, yet the basement steakhouse is where the sweet tunes from the sizzling stovetop can be heard.
    DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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