as in repulsed
to drive back
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
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Recent Examples of turned back
But the group was turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj detention camp, due to unspecified procedural problems.
—
Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Vietnam turned back the Chinese over the course of nine days.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 17 Feb. 2026
During that isolation my body turned back to the prison.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Nancy Guthrie’s home has been turned back over to Guthrie’s family.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
During a news conference on Tuesday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the house was turned back over to the family on Monday.
—Pat Milton, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
When Cuba denied them entry—followed by the United States and Canada—the vessel was turned back to Europe.
—Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
Bob Frid / Imagn Images VANCOUVER — As Joseph Woll turned back to watch a puck drift slowly from behind his net onto the stick of Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland, Woll quickly had to become a hero.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
In early 2013, having ticked her Antarctica box, Koch turned back to her other great passion and applied for admission to NASA’s 21st astronaut class.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Vietnam turned back the Chinese over the course of nine days.
—Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 17 Feb. 2026
During that isolation my body turned back to the prison.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Nancy Guthrie’s home has been turned back over to Guthrie’s family.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
During a news conference on Tuesday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the house was turned back over to the family on Monday.
—Pat Milton, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
When Cuba denied them entry—followed by the United States and Canada—the vessel was turned back to Europe.
—Mary Damiano, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2026
Bob Frid / Imagn Images VANCOUVER — As Joseph Woll turned back to watch a puck drift slowly from behind his net onto the stick of Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland, Woll quickly had to become a hero.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
In early 2013, having ticked her Antarctica box, Koch turned back to her other great passion and applied for admission to NASA’s 21st astronaut class.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turned back
Verb
-
And Republicans are among those repulsed by the ongoing scandals.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That effort quickly repulsed decent Americans.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Defenseman Radko Gudas got an assist on the Czechs’ first score while NHL teammate Lukas Dostal turned away 37 shots in goal.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
People who turn up underdressed are turned away with regrets.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That idea repelled him to his core.—
Joy Press,
Vanity Fair,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Volgograd Governor Andrey Bocharov said air defenses repelled a missile attack and that falling debris triggered a fire at a military facility near Kotluban.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Moderna resisted, but agreed to provide test subjects with enhanced disclosures on its informed consent form, to which the FDA assented.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Black communities in Philadelphia have always resisted and mobilized for educational justice.—
Leana Cabral,
The Conversation,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turned back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turned%20back. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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