as in repulsed
to drive back
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turned back
Victor Ostman made his first NHL start and turned back 33 shots.
—
ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Two of the oil-carrying ships turned back in the first two hours after the blockade went into effect Monday morning.
—Yarden Segev, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
At least two vessels that had appeared to be heading for the exit turned back.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
But the plane later turned back and returned to the gate.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
Domingo turned back to the audience jokingly disappointed.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
The announcers briefly turned back to the game after one of the players called for time.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Maybe, maybe, maybe— Hans turned back to his board, red splotches rising on his cheeks.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
The two toms turned back, gobbling every few steps.
—Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Two of the oil-carrying ships turned back in the first two hours after the blockade went into effect Monday morning.
—Yarden Segev, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
At least two vessels that had appeared to be heading for the exit turned back.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
But the plane later turned back and returned to the gate.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026
Domingo turned back to the audience jokingly disappointed.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 12 Apr. 2026
The announcers briefly turned back to the game after one of the players called for time.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Maybe, maybe, maybe— Hans turned back to his board, red splotches rising on his cheeks.
—Ben Mezrich, Vanity Fair, 6 Apr. 2026
The two toms turned back, gobbling every few steps.
—Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turned back
Verb
-
Pheidippides, legendary Greek hēmerodromos, or courier, who is popularly believed to have run 40 km (about 25 miles) from the battlefield at Marathon to Athens in 490 bce, to report that the Athenians, in a single afternoon, had repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece.—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
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Cilantro, a polarizing herb that’s either adored in Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Indian cuisines, or repulsed by those who detect a nauseating soapy taste.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During the first quarter, Clark declined to guard Johnson, who had the ball outside of the three-point line, with wave of her arm while turned away from her.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
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Hur indicated in his email Tuesday that investigators were turned away from the site.—
Steve Kopack,
NBC news,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stink bugs are repelled by smells like citrus, garlic, clove, and mint.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The attack occurred in Benisheikh in Borno State, army spokesman Michael Onoja said in a statement, but it was repelled.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Germany, by far Europe’s largest chemical producer, has resisted and wants to improve framework conditions, such as lowering energy costs and cutting red tape.—
Marilen Martin,
Bloomberg,
15 Apr. 2026
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The survey shows a war inside big corporations as that rewiring is resisted at all levels.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turned back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turned%20back. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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