turn away

Definition of turn awaynext
as in to repel
to drive back using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 away Three ships were turned away from the Strait of Hormuz this morning by the IRGC Navy, according to semi-official news agency Fars. Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026 In his later life, Marriott distanced himself from the mainstream music industry and turned away from major record labels, remaining in relative obscurity. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026 China’s oil demand could peak sooner than expected, a senior executive at a major state energy firm said, as the Iran war accelerates the turn away from fossil fuels. Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 26 Mar. 2026 The head turn away from the mic. Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn away
Verb
  • Taipei is particularly concerned that as the Middle East conflict drags on, American forces are depleting their stockpile of long-range cruise missiles that would be critical to repel a Chinese assault on Taiwan, the Financial Times reported.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Mar. 2026
  • The attack took place less than 24 hours after the Nigerian military repelled attacks by militants on the outskirts of Maiduguri, in what some residents say could have been planned as a distraction.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Bernhard’s barely contained incestuous desires (The Loser is only one of a suite of works about brother-sister love and hate, alongside Correction, The Lime Works, and Concrete) are the product of individual psychologies run amok and turned back on themselves, the offshoots of artistic monomania.
    Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Al Otro Lado, HIAS and other groups who provided assistance to the asylum seekers who were turned back at the border argued this case is about much more than the narrow legal definition of a few words.
    Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Against a backdrop of social and geopolitical change, amid profound transformation both in Georgia and across the South Caucasus, their stories reveal how the will to dream, to resist, and to love becomes its own quiet blaze.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Serious worm farmers will want to invest in some worm food to ensure their nightcrawlers get the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals to create a plump, tasty bait that no self-respecting fish can resist.
    Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.
    Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Cilantro, a polarizing herb that’s either adored in Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian cuisines, or repulsed by those who detect a nauseating soapy taste.
    Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • He regularly gets beat off the bounce by quicker players.
    Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In order to stave off potentially bruising losses in November, Republicans of all persuasions are working to get on the same messaging page to pitch voters on why their party should stay fully in power over the next few years.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
  • And this was on a night when Doncic scored 41 points on 15-of-25 shooting (5 for 10 from 3-point range) as the Lakers staved off the Brooklyn Nets, finally pulling away for a 116-99 win on Friday night, their 11th victory in 12 games.
    Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20away. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on turn away

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster