TURN ON Synonyms: 199 Similar and Opposite Words

turn (on) 1 of 3

verb (1)

Definition of turn (on)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

turn-on

2 of 3

noun

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

turn on

3 of 3

verb (2)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to trigger

to cause to function would you turn on the TV?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn (on)

Verb

Protesters, many of whom have been seen carrying Palestinian flags, have set fire to historic buildings and attacked civilians.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2026
Electrons can then leak out of the chain, bonding with oxygen in the wrong parts of the mitochondria to form highly reactive free radicals that attack and deform neighboring molecules.

— Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

Hoyer shockingly stole Counsell from the Brewers three years ago with the lure of the biggest managerial contract ever, believing Counsell’s obvious skills and brains would help strengthen the Cubs and weaken the Brewers.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
The presence of Greek life on campus, with its stately houses, exuberant social events and starring role in American pop culture, can also be a lure for students, the lifeblood of academia.

— Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of lure

Verb

Rath had said he would be thrilled if 30% of Albertans voted to begin the separation process.

— Rob Gillies, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where I am thrilled to be writing to you today after a harrowing couple of weeks at the Kartje household.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of thrill

Verb

The proposal would give frontier AI developers a clearer legal framework while restricting the circumstances that could trigger government action.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Wilson, whose comments helped trigger the confrontation, was not a defendant in the lawsuit.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of trigger

Verb

Becerril had been assaulted before his body was placed in the trunk, according to the CHP.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The women, who don't know each other, allege they were assaulted by Brand between 1999 and 2009 in locations including workplaces, a hotel room and a bathroom at a bar.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of assault

Noun

Rather than doing a literal adaptation, the creators kept the book’s DNA and tweaked the ideas of evil, temptation and power with a contemporary twist.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
But the battle against the temptation of price promotions is long and one that has had the industry continually losing ground.

— Evan Clark, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of temptation

Verb

Tonight’s Venus cazimi could clarify which connections or future plans still genuinely excite you.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
The neighborhood Saúl Canal, the hotel’s general manager, has arrived at Serras Sevilla excited not only to manage the property but also to introduce the city to his guests.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of excite

Verb

Two letters redirect actions MuTRAP is a backdoor attack, also known as a Trojan attack, in which malicious behavior is embedded in a model and activated only when a specific trigger appears.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Ukraine received no warning from its partners ahead of the first wave of attacks, and information about a second wave arrived too late for air raid sirens to be activated in time, air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television.

— SAMYA KULLAB, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of activate

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.

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turnoffs

turn (on)

turn-on

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“Turn (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20%28on%29. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of turn (on)

verb (1)

noun

verb (2)

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