Synonyms of turn

turn 1 of 6

verb (1)

ˈtərn 

1

as in to rotate

to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis

turned the doorknob as quietly as possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rotate
• spin
• swing
• twirl
• twist
• swirl
• roll
• swivel
• pivot
• revolve
• whirl
• wheel
• screw
• crank
• wind
• unscrew
• reel
• circulate
• twiddle
• coil

2

as in to swing

to change the course or direction of (something)

the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around

he turned his cart uphill

Synonyms & Similar Words

• swing
• whip
• divert
• shift
• veer
• deflect
• redirect
• move
• wheel
• switch
• whirl
• deviate
• avert
• swivel
• twist
• shunt
• curve
• reverse
• swerve
• sway
• transfer
• bend
• turn back
• rechannel
• sidetrack
• zigzag

3

as in to deviate

to change one's course or direction

we turned left at the light

the storm unexpectedly turned south and missed our area

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deviate
• swing
• veer
• diverge
• wheel
• detour
• turn off
• sheer
• swerve
• tack
• turn back
• double (back)
• zigzag

4

as in to become

to eventually have as a state or quality

will turn 12 in six months

Synonyms & Similar Words

• become
• get
• grow
• go
• come
• run
• transform
• change
• alter
• wax
• modify
• transmute
• mutate
• metamorphose
• transfigure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• be
• continue
• remain
• stay
• linger
• abide

5

as in to revolve

to move in circles around an axis or center

the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rotate
• revolve
• spin
• twirl
• roll
• curl
• whirl
• curve
• circle
• wheel
• gyrate
• swirl
• pirouette
• round
• twist
• pinwheel
• spiral
• wind
• coil
• ring
• pivot
• circulate
• encircle
• swivel
• orbit
• twine

6

as in to ponder

to give serious and careful thought to

turned the question every which way but could find no answer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ponder
• contemplate
• entertain
• debate
• consider
• study
• weigh
• eye
• explore
• look at
• analyze
• question
• chew on
• review
• revolve
• ruminate
• deliberate
• meditate
• wrestle (with)
• cogitate
• mull (over)
• chew over
• think (about or over)
• pore (over)
• perpend
• kick around
• reflect (on or upon)
• beat one's brains out (about)
• digest
• cudgel one's brains (about)
• muse (upon)
• reminisce
• believe
• reason
• dwell (on or upon)
• fixate (on or upon)
• conclude
• speculate (about)
• absorb
• drink (in)
• opine
• conceive
• assimilate
• brood (about or over)
• fret (about or over)
• second-guess
• obsess (about or over)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• slight
• disregard
• overlook
• reject
• dismiss
• pooh
• pooh-pooh

7

as in to depend

to be determined by, based on, or subject (to)

what we do next turns on your answer to the following question

Synonyms & Similar Words

• depend
• hang
• base
• found
• ride
• hinge
• establish
• rest
• stay
• ground

8

as in to spin

to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around

all the new information made his head turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spin
• swim
• reel
• whirl
• swirl

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collect
• settle
• steady
• calm

9

as in to persuade

to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge

he did his best to turn his new friends against his ex-wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

• persuade
• convince
• bias
• influence
• prejudice
• predispose
• dispose
• poison
• incline
• suggest
• prepossess

turn

2 of 6

noun (1)

1

as in walk

a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure

would you care to take a turn around the garden?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• walk
• stroll
• wander
• saunter
• trip
• ramble
• constitutional
• amble
• tour
• parade
• march
• range
• travel
• trek
• hike
• traverse
• spin
• promenade
• perambulation
• expedition
• excursion
• progress
• tramp
• jaunt
• traipse
• traversal
• sally
• outing
• pilgrimage
• sashay
• paseo
• walkabout
• junket
• peregrination
• safari

2

as in kindness

an act of kind assistance

one good turn deserves another

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kindness
• service
• privilege
• mercy
• grace
• blessing
• favor
• indulgence
• boon
• courtesy
• advantage
• benefit
• benevolence
• waiver
• dispensation
• liberty
• godsend
• license
• licence
• manna

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interference
• obstacle
• hindrance
• impediment
• hurdle

3

as in tendency

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tendency
• inclination
• devices
• aptitude
• affinity
• affection
• knack
• impulse
• bent
• disposition
• predisposition
• propensity
• proclivity
• predilection
• bias
• penchant
• leaning
• talent
• addiction
• bone
• gift
• genius
• preference
• partiality
• appetite
• flair
• habitude
• taste
• like
• prejudice
• favor
• liking
• wont
• habit
• practise
• way
• endowment
• practice
• partisanship
• trick
• faculty
• fancy
• pattern
• fondness
• forte
• specialty
• routine
• speciality
• quirk
• custom
• convention
• singularity
• peculiarity
• idiosyncrasy
• kink
• one-sidedness
• eccentricity
• oddity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dislike
• distaste
• aversion
• allergy
• disinclination
• neutrality
• disfavor
• detachment
• objectivity
• indifference
• impartiality
• disliking
• disrelish
• averseness
• apathy
• nonchalance
• unconcern
• disinterestedness
• insouciance

4

as in bend

something that curves or is curved

right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bend
• curve
• curvature
• angle
• wind
• bow
• fold
• crook
• arch
• arc
• slope
• corner
• curl
• twist
• inflection
• winding
• ring
• round
• loop
• circle
• swirl
• coil
• warp
• spiral
• reflection
• incline
• buckle
• inclination
• curlycue
• kink
• turnoff
• hairpin
• flexure
• convolution
• curlicue
• ringlet
• incurvature
• decline
• dogleg

5

as in bout

a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder

a sudden turn of dizziness that may have been brought on by a change in her medication

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bout
• case
• attack
• spell
• seizure
• access
• fit
• siege
• pang
• spasm
• relapse
• recurrence
• breakdown
• frenzy
• collapse
• convulsion
• agitation
• brainstorm
• paroxysm
• eclampsia
• throe
• prostration

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relief
• arrest
• remission

6

as in act

a performance regularly presented by an individual or group

between the show's two major musical acts, there was a short turn by a juggling troupe

Synonyms & Similar Words

• act
• routine
• number
• bit
• schtick
• signature
• shtick
• shtik

turn (on)

3 of 6

verb (2)

as in to assault

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

• assault
• attack
• raid
• storm
• set at
• set on
• jump (on)
• strike
• descend (on or upon)
• set upon
• go in (on)
• fly at
• rob
• round on
• sick
• pounce (on or upon)
• charge
• ambush
• beat up on
• tear into
• pitch into
• invade
• rush
• beset
• assail
• swarm
• bushwhack
• sic
• gang up (on)
• trash
• light into
• go at
• surprise
• mob
• sack
• flank
• waylay
• barrage
• bomb
• besiege
• surprize
• mug
• plunder
• blitz
• nuke
• bombard
• cannon
• batter
• plaster
• loot
• ravage
• buffet
• bang away (at)
• bum-rush
• pillage
• harry
• ambuscade
• beleaguer
• overrun
• foray
• envelop
• cannonade
• press

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• protect
• cover
• secure
• defend
• guard
• shield

turn (to)

4 of 6

verb (3)

as in to go (to)

to use or seek out as a source of aid, relief, or advantage

no need to turn to violence when we can talk things out peacefully

Synonyms & Similar Words

• go (to)
• consult
• refer (to)
• resort (to)
• use
• fall back on
• utilize
• rely (on)
• depend (on)
• employ

turn-on

5 of 6

noun (2)

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

• lure
• temptation
• attraction
• incentive
• come-on
• motivation
• bait
• boost
• enticement
• stimulus
• impetus
• appeal
• allurement
• seduction
• siren song
• impulse
• encouragement
• inducement
• call
• spur
• persuasion
• goad
• decoy
• trap
• seducement
• snare
• entrapment
• mousetrap

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• alarm
• notice
• warning
• alert
• caution
• forewarning
• alarum

turn on

6 of 6

verb (4)

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

• thrill
• excite
• pump up
• electrify
• delight
• inspire
• galvanize
• titillate
• intoxicate
• intrigue
• provoke
• charge
• stimulate
• arouse
• enchant
• incite
• rivet
• exhilarate
• charm
• captivate
• hypnotize
• interest
• mesmerize
• bewitch
• tantalize
• enthrall
• enthral
• spellbind

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• bore
• weary
• pall
• tire
• jade
• discourage
• demoralize
• dishearten
• dispirit
• deject

2

as in to trigger

to cause to function

would you turn on the TV?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• trigger
• activate
• spark
• drive
• power
• set off
• move
• generate
• start
• fuel
• crank (up)
• touch off
• turn over
• actuate
• provoke
• ignite
• run
• push
• charge
• fire
• launch
• kick over
• switch
• stimulate
• release
• stir up
• energize
• electrify
• trip
• discharge
• speed (up)
• step up
• reactivate
• recharge
• accelerate
• arouse
• incite
• excite
• quicken
• catalyze
• instigate
• kick-start
• jump-start
• vitalize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• turn off
• cut out
• shut off
• cut
• kill
• cut off
• check
• stop
• draw up
• brake
• stick
• arrest
• halt
• deactivate
• slow
• suppress
• stall
• jam
• repress
• decelerate
• stunt

Examples of turn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

That’s nearly a half-million banking jobs turned into software. —Michael Del Castillo, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2024

The New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts turns 50 this year, which means its students have been influencing the city's and nation's culture for decades. —Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 16 Sep. 2024

Noun

Their tender moments make the inevitable tragic turn all the more gut-wrenching. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024

In turn banks will be able to hold record amounts of deposits with a fraction of the headcount leading to an explosion of profit and payouts. —Michael Del Castillo, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2024

Phrases Containing turn

• at every turn
• to a turn
• turn (on)
• turn (to)
• turn a hand
• turn away
• turn back
• turn color
• turn down
• turn in
• turn loose
• turn off
• turn on
• turn one's back on
• turn one's hand
• turn one's stomach
• turn out
• turn over
• turn tail
• turn turtle
• turn up