turn back

verb

Definition of turn backnext
as in to repel
to drive back a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 back Cubans are planning their lives around the lights turning back on. — Andrea Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 At times, they were seen swerving around other drivers and driving at speeds up to 95 miles per hour in the northbound lanes before getting onto the westbound I-10, exiting near downtown and then turning back toward Boyle Heights on surface streets. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Miglietta explained that the jellyfish appears to be dying and sinks to the bottom, then, like a butterfly turning back into a caterpillar, shrinks into a ball. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 The proposal, which called for overhauling the judicial selection process and directly electing Supreme Court justices, was decisively turned back on Tuesday. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn back
  1. repel
  2. resist
  3. turn away
  4. repulse
  5. stave off
  6. beat off
Verb
  • The first North Korean deployment began in the Kursk region in October 2024, to repel a Ukrainian incursion, the first on Russian soil since the Nazis.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The drawback of using essential oils to repel flies is that their efficacy is short-lived.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of repel
Verb
  • Mark Carney drew international attention as Canada’s prime minister by warning that middle powers must resist economic coercion by more powerful countries.
    — Rob Gillies, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • But once those opportunities have been funded, management should resist the temptation to pursue lower-quality projects simply to use available cash.
    — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of resist
Verb
  • Hugo Lloris turned away one shot for LAFC (10-7-5), which was coming off back-to-back 1-0 losses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In fact, among the reasons that DeMar DeRozan turned away from the Heat might have been the writing on the wall that Klay would take that final Heat starting spot.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of turn away
Verb
  • Most Americans are repulsed by the core ideas of radical leftists.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Philly may be shedding its second-fiddle status, but it remains entirely repulsed by frauds and underachievers.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
Definition of repulse
Verb
  • After working around the clock for the better part of a week toward an interim bilateral trade deal, trade officials from the United States and Canada may have reached a consensus that will stave off a fresh round of punishing tariffs.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But Washington cannot stave off a transition to a new regional order by simply pretending that nothing has changed.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of stave off
Verb
  • Spurs beat off competition from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain to sign Fernandes, while Manchester City were interested in Tonali.
    — Jay Harris, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Happiness beat off competition from second place The Flaws, an absurdist comedy for ZDF that won the official competition at the same fest.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 12 June 2026
Definition of beat off

Browse Nearby Words

turn away
turn back
turncoat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20back. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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