turn away

verb

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

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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 away Examples include long lines, a wrong or closed polling location, trouble checking in or with ID, voting machine problems, or anyone being turned away or pressured. — Staff, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026 But Connecticut lawyers say these vulnerable people are being turned away from the program because of state judges. — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026 And the Joe’s devotion to its customers won’t wane, Sawitz said, adding that the restaurant will never turn away anybody who shows up at the back door desperate for something to eat, a longtime unwritten rule. — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026 If that fast-casual look doesn’t turn away customers, then looking like your peers becomes acceptable. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn away
  1. repel
  2. turn back
  3. resist
  4. repulse
  5. beat off
  6. stave off
Verb
  • Leading brands, such as Cliganic, NATPAT and BugMD, use essential oils, like citronella and peppermint oil among others, as the active ingredients to repel pesty bloodsuckers.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Ion-generating toothbrushes release charged particles to induce a polarity that helps repel plaque, for example.
    — Mike McRae, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of repel
Verb
  • Activists say their new constitutional amendment will help ensure that Virginia stays a safe haven for access, even if the state turns back to Republican control in future years.
    — Rachel Cohen Booth, Vox, 4 Nov. 2026
  • However, investors on Tuesday are turning back to semiconductors and power, electrical equipment, and liquid cooling providers like Eaton , which posted strong quarterly results and raised its full-year outlook.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of turn back
Verb
  • Retail is a recent addition for a designer who long resisted it.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In July 2025, Bennett and another man were charged with resisting arrest after a confrontation with LAPD officers at a candlelight vigil a few blocks from where Foreman was killed this year.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of resist
Verb
  • Her widowed aunt plays chaperone as Susanna attends heady lectures and repulses her many suitors.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Young people just aren’t interested, partly because they’re repulsed by bodily fluids.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of repulse
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
Verb
  • The good news is that the study also found that movement — in the right amounts and at the right times — staves off muscle laziness and might make sitting a little less unhealthy.
    — Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The campaign stops in Corpus Christi and Lubbock came as Republicans fight to stave off their first statewide loss in Texas in more than 30 years.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of stave off

Browse Nearby Words

turnarounds
turn away
turn back
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20away. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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