turn (on) 1 of 3

verb (1)

Definition of turn (on)next
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

turn on

3 of 3

verb (2)

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trigger
to cause to function would you turn on the TV?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn (on)
  1. attack
  2. lure
  3. thrill
  4. trigger
  5. assault
  6. temptation
  7. excite
  8. activate
Verb
  • That strike came after Kuwait said Iran attacked one of its water facilities.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The chain of events that led to another extermination began when Lauren Cohan’s Maggie and Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Negan captured their season 2 nemesis, the Dama (Lisa Emery), after the big bad had her men attack them.
    — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Related Stories The lure of working in Lucy’s hometown has been strong for A-list comedians for decades, as the comedy festival predated the launch of the center.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Now, pull the main line sharply away from the hook, lure, fly, or terminal tackle.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026
Definition of lure
Verb
  • Together with our partners at the BBC, we are thrilled to be working with the dream team of David, Lenny, Claire, Matthew and Element Pictures to bring this beautiful love story to life.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 July 2026
  • For its part, Netflix has not been thrilled with Afram’s response to the situation either.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of thrill
Verb
  • On Sunday, authorities said one man was arrested on Kefalonia on suspicion of having started a fire that spread quickly in the southeastern part of the island, triggering the evacuation of nearby villages.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Israel even went after Tehran’s own leaders – killing former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – in the hope of triggering regime change, which has so far failed.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of trigger
Verb
  • King accused of assault, charged with misdemeanors While King was detained, a police officer told one of her neighbors at the scene that King was suspected of assaulting a National Guard member, the claim said.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 29 July 2026
  • The charges allege that some players assaulted a sophomore after two practices.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 29 July 2026
Definition of assault
Noun
  • The temptation to disparage the other parent, especially in front of the children, can damage your own custody standing — and in extreme cases, be characterized as parental alienation.
    — Melissa Needle, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The temptation might be there to catch up with your friends, but try to save it for before and after the discussion.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of temptation
Verb
  • Moments like the one below against Eintracht Frankfurt should excite Madrid fans.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • Crow’s theory is that some of his preferred candidates—Marine drill sergeants, federal prosecutors—are more likely to excite those who are down on both parties.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 27 July 2026
Definition of excite
Verb
  • However, Daniel Palencia will pitch at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday and could be activated soon, resuming his closer role.
    — Greg Jewett, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • For organizations seeking meaningful ways to activate teams and elevate corporate culture, five actionable strategies can bring allyship to life well beyond a single date on the calendar.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

turnoffs
turn (on)
turn-on
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turn (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20%28on%29. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All