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

Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone leaders say the pastor’s words attack their identity and echo past religious assimilation, spurring weekly demonstrations and new rules requiring outside ministries to seek tribal approval.

— Savannah Peters, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
To beat the odds, founders need to plan for a long-term goal that is relevant and achievable, then attack it in a series of sprints that enable incremental growth.

— Deann Evans, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

In another simulation, a Gemini agent, while initially flagging the phishing lure, acted on it about 46 hours later.

— Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026
As a reptile morphologist, Schwenk didn’t expect that the lure would include anything other than soft tissue.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of lure

Verb

Before this dilemma can play out, Hal triggers an Indiana Jones–esque booby trap inside the compound’s stronghold, summoning Macon’s men with their advanced weaponry.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
The rain could trigger flash flooding and mudslides, particularly in mountainous areas.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of trigger

Verb

In the case of Kim, agents found direct messages on his desktop computer between him and a minor victim in which the victim describes him allegedly assaulting her and beating her dog.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
He is accused of assaulting a deputy before being taken into custody and faces charges including unlawful escape, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer.

— KC Baker, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of assault

Noun

Living a dozen miles from their closest neighbor (who has a grudge with Lester), even further from the closest town (a downtrodden shell of its former self), and further still from any sort of hope — or temptation.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
Every offer is firmly rebuffed, and the promise of an easier life, with the possibility of moving to a large apartment near the sea in Alexandria, holds no temptation.

— Jay Weissberg, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of temptation

Verb

What excites me is the competitive side of it having to make a move, back your decision and keep pushing yourself when the game shifts.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
If Linde's earnings are growing this robustly while revenue barely grew, investors should be excited by the prospect of revenue acceleration over the next few years.

— Harvey Stober, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of excite

Verb

Researchers therefore began exploring partial reprogramming, briefly activating the Yamanaka factors in ways that appear to rejuvenate cells while maintaining their specialized identities.

— Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
If the vehicle has no power and the window remains fully raised, Tesla warns the glass could shatter when someone activates the release.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of turn (on)

verb (1)

noun

verb (2)

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