1
as in rotating
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
Relevance
2
as in swinging
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
3
as in deviating
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
4
as in becoming
to eventually have as a state or quality
will turn 12 in six months
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in revolving
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
6
as in contemplating
to give serious and careful thought to
turned the question every which way but could find no answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
as in persuading
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
as in turned
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of turning
Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The chase ended at West Raymond and South Harding streets after the Buick struck a semitruck that was turning through the intersection, according to police.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025
Families are turning dinner into an activity by using pizza dough or premade crusts to mold fun, spooky shapes, like ghosts, pumpkins, and bats, before topping them with sauce, cheese, and all their favorite fixings.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
While Halle Berry is celebrating recently turning 59, fans are celebrating her ageless beauty.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turning
Adjective
In the video released by police the man is absent from the camera frame for much of the chase and he is not seen turning toward the officer or raising his gun.
—Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The chase ended at West Raymond and South Harding streets after the Buick struck a semitruck that was turning through the intersection, according to police.
—Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025
Families are turning dinner into an activity by using pizza dough or premade crusts to mold fun, spooky shapes, like ghosts, pumpkins, and bats, before topping them with sauce, cheese, and all their favorite fixings.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025
While Halle Berry is celebrating recently turning 59, fans are celebrating her ageless beauty.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning
Verb
-
The menu will include around five core cocktails from Rzepka's original recipes, as well as five rotating cocktails that will swap out with the seasons.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The only hitch was the two-handed pinch-and-hold gesture for rotating some objects.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Reagan championed free trade while selectively deviating from it, according to the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Occurring more than halfway through the performance, the scene is used to introduce the tragic backstory of the Phantom character at a freak show — a new narrative deviating from the original source material.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Even Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI—the world’s most valuable private company—recently echoed that sentiment after becoming a father.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
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Plus, the storage area has ventilation holes to keep items from becoming musty.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
According to Bankrate, nearly half of American households have credit card debt and pay more than 20% in interest, on average, on their revolving balances — making credit cards one of the most expensive ways to borrow money.—
Jessica Dickler,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The county, where per-capita personal income levels are nearly 40% higher than the national median, is also seen as a pioneer for its financing model, which created a revolving loan fund to replace private sources of equity and keep the units owned by the public.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the old flivver was ticking along, reminding Drew of happy hours—leaning on opposing fenders under its hood with Lloyd, contemplating the Dart’s latest ailment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
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Again, no more than one or two managers in every league should be contemplating late-season schedules and playoff matchups.—
Andy Behrens,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Ohio, a defendant is more likely to face the death penalty, depending on where the crime happened.—
Kevin Grasha,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
21 Oct. 2025
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Calories The calories in apple cider or pumpkin spice drinks vary, depending on what’s added to them.—
Heidi Moawad,
Verywell Health,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By comparison, Seoul Station tells us more about how the zombie virus began while also spinning a tight, impactful story centered on three compelling characters.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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The trailer tees up his infatuation rom-com style before spinning into explosive action.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That could help with a key goal of the new transit line — persuading people who commute by car to give a more comfortable bus experience a try.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
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Despite a recent plan to overhaul California’s strict insurance regulations in hopes of persuading carriers to expand coverage in fire-risk areas, many homeowners have yet to see any immediate changes.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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