as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against
it is dangerous to keep tigers as house pets, as they often turn on their masters without warning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lure
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain
knew the offer of free pizza would be a major turn-on to the pair of teenagers she had just asked to help her move
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to thrill
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings
unsurprisingly, the fanboys were turned on by the movie's amazing special effects and slam-bang plot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trigger
to cause to function
would you turn on the TV?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn (on)
Verb
-
The same man later attacked former Olympian Kim Glass in 2022, which prompted Lee to speak out.—
The Editorial Board,
Daily News,
28 May 2026 -
The officer who allegedly was attacked suffered minor injuries, Morton said.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The startup mentality can often be scrappy, and the AI tools available at the moment make the lure of custom builds all the more tempting.—
Emma Westley,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Part of that lure is how the employees themselves feel upon returning to the four-day workweek.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The Vegas Golden Knights have taken Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, erasing the Carolina Hurricanes' early 2-0 lead to win a thrilling 5-4 game in Raleigh and set the tone for this best-of-seven series.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
Even though their scene was complicated to navigate, Stone is thrilled with the finished film.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Depending on direct or indirect exposure by private creditors and special purpose vehicles to public banks, this may wipe out investors and trigger a broader recession.—
Rakesh Kumar,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
-
This typically gets worse over time and is often accompanied by a harsh goose-honking cough triggered by excitement or exercise.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
The idea of creating a fund that could compensate people who assaulted police officers and vandalized the Capitol, that is totally unacceptable.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
The woman in the video was charged with breaking and entering, resisting a public officer, and assault on a government official or employee, according to a warrant for her arrest issued Friday.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
There can be a real temptation to want to write your own story and exert too much.—
Carita Rizzo,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
John Wells really encouraged us to stay true to the original thesis and to not fall into the temptation of going bigger, badder, faster, funnier, bloodier, but just to sort of do it again and be honest.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Pollock agreed to the terms, and Penland left the meeting excited by the possibility of forging greater links between Hollywood and the evangelical community.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
-
That would excite way more Latinos than saying Karen went to Cuba back in the ‘70s.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Raven Room is a great spot for happy hour, and the owners have been going to great lengths lately to activate the space with programming such as live music.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Mercury in Cancer, for instance, activates your partnership sector — followed by the sun later this month — bringing focus to romantic, business or close one-on-one dynamics.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Turn (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20%28on%29. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
