Synonyms of turning

turning 1 of 2

adjective

as in turned

Related Words

• turned
• twisting
• twisted
• warped
• swirled
• rounded
• veering
• entwined
• bending
• winding
• spiral
• kinked
• curved
• twined
• spiraling
• bowed
• curving
• curled
• twining
• curling
• coiling
• looping
• wavy
• coiled
• looped
• weaving
• corkscrew
• serpentine
• sinuous
• meandering
• zigzag
• devious
• zigzagging
• crooked

Dissimilar Words

• direct
• straight
• right
• linear
• straightforward
• straightaway
• unswerving
• untwisted
• uncurled
• undeviating
• unbent

turning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of turn

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

• rotating
• spinning
• twisting
• twirling
• swinging
• swirling
• rolling
• swiveling
• whirling
• revolving
• pivoting
• wheeling
• screwing
• winding
• cranking
• unscrewing
• reeling
• circulating
• coiling
• twiddling

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

• swinging
• whipping
• shifting
• diverting
• veering
• deflecting
• redirecting
• moving
• whirling
• wheeling
• switching
• twisting
• swiveling
• deviating
• averting
• shunting
• reversing
• transferring
• zigzagging
• swaying
• curving
• swerving
• bending
• rechanneling
• sidetracking
• turning back

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

• deviating
• swinging
• veering
• diverging
• detouring
• swerving
• turning off
• wheeling
• tacking
• zigzagging
• sheering
• turning back
• doubling (back)

4

as in becoming

to eventually have as a state or quality

will turn 12 in six months

Synonyms & Similar Words

• becoming
• growing
• getting
• going
• coming
• running
• transforming
• changing
• altering
• waxing
• modifying
• transmuting
• metamorphosing
• mutating
• transfiguring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• being
• remaining
• continuing
• staying
• lingering
• abiding

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

• rotating
• revolving
• spinning
• rolling
• twirling
• circling
• curling
• whirling
• gyrating
• curving
• pirouetting
• twisting
• winding
• swirling
• wheeling
• pinwheeling
• spiraling
• coiling
• rounding
• ringing
• pivoting
• twining
• circulating
• encircling
• orbiting
• swiveling

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

• contemplating
• pondering
• debating
• considering
• studying
• entertaining
• weighing
• eyeing
• exploring
• questioning
• analyzing
• reviewing
• deliberating
• ruminating
• revolving
• looking at
• cogitating
• meditating
• wrestling (with)
• thinking (about or over)
• chewing on
• mulling (over)
• poring (over)
• perpending
• chewing over
• digesting
• reflecting (on or upon)
• beating one's brains out (about)
• kicking around
• believing
• reminiscing
• cudgeling one's brains (about)
• reasoning
• musing (upon)
• opining
• absorbing
• assimilating
• concluding
• dwelling (on or upon)
• conceiving
• fixating (on or upon)
• speculating (about)
• brooding (about or over)
• drinking (in)
• fretting (about or over)
• obsessing (about or over)
• second-guessing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• disregarding
• overlooking
• dismissing
• rejecting
• slighting
• pooh-poohing

7

as in depending

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• depending
• hanging
• hinging
• riding
• basing
• establishing
• resting
• staying
• founding
• grounding

8

as in spinning

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

all the new information made his head turn

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spinning
• swimming
• whirling
• reeling
• swirling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• collecting
• settling
• calming
• steadying

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

• persuading
• convincing
• biasing
• influencing
• prejudicing
• disposing
• inclining
• poisoning
• predisposing
• suggesting
• prepossessing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of turning

Verb

But that doesn’t mean the show is cured of its worst instincts, like turning people’s very serious, consequential life problems into entertainment. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026

That rare constellation of stars aligned Sunday, turning a lucrative trading card show into a priceless event for Florida fans. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

The device time dilemma for parents and teens is now turning into a battle between lawmakers and tech companies, including heartbreaking testimony. — Steve Large, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Europe’s summer wildfires are igniting and uncovering rusted bombs and mines from WWI and WWII, turning old battlefields into hazardous zones for firefighters and nearby communities. — Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

Researchers developed the flexible material from cotton pulp cellulose, turning an abundant renewable material into an electrically conductive hydrogel. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

Gamboa recorded the first four outs before turning the ball over to Bello in his newfound relief role. — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Short-term momentum has improved meaningfully, with the daily MACD turning higher after having been negative for several weeks. — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026

Fans increasingly travel to see their favorite college or professional teams, often turning one game into a multiday trip that includes hotels, restaurants and entertainment. — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing turning

• turning point