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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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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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

Tzolis plays the pass and, because the Arsenal players are attacking the diagonal, there are a number of receivers available.

— Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
In perhaps the coolest reversal in the show thus far, the Lanterns are attacked with guns that produce darkness, which manifests here as smoke but prevents them from seeing or creating light constructs.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of attack

Noun

That state and its film incentives have been a major lure for productions for years.

— Eva Flowe August 28, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
The storyline involves Lasso leaving his job as head coach of AFC Richmond, returning to Kansas City to be closer to his son, and the team’s front office attempting the lure him back to England.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of lure

Verb

In January, just days after the Bears’ magical 2025 dream run ended with a playoff loss, Poles was thrilled when Johnson slammed the back cover on that season and ordered everyone to start working for 2026.

— Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Angels star Mike Trout, center, and his teammates were thrilled to learn Stan Kroenke, the billionaire Rams’ owner, agreed to buy the baseball team.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of thrill

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

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

Guided Vision will be available in the system Accessibility shortcuts and can also be activated from the TalkBack menu.

— Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
China has activated the third generating unit at the Shuangjiangkou Hydropower Station in Sichuan Province, bringing all three units in the first phase into operation.

— Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of turn (on)

verb (1)

noun

verb (2)

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