as in turned
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
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
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of turning
Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Just south of downtown Minneapolis, Rachel Dionne Thunder is one of many members of the Indigenous community turning their wheel and pushing the peddle on patrol.
—Frankie McLister, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
As Bridgerton fans prepare to return to the Ton and Lady Whistledown’s latest round of society gossip, the Shonda Rhimes show’s latest leading lady is putting a head-turning twist on Regency-era fashion.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026
China, by contrast, has spent decades replicating the Cold War strategies of American soft power and turning them against the United States.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turning
Verb
MacNeil, who has a knack for turning any conversation into a passionate argument for American manufacturing, insists WeatherTech’s success is not just good for him, but for the country.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Just south of downtown Minneapolis, Rachel Dionne Thunder is one of many members of the Indigenous community turning their wheel and pushing the peddle on patrol.
—Frankie McLister, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
As Bridgerton fans prepare to return to the Ton and Lady Whistledown’s latest round of society gossip, the Shonda Rhimes show’s latest leading lady is putting a head-turning twist on Regency-era fashion.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 14 Jan. 2026
China, by contrast, has spent decades replicating the Cold War strategies of American soft power and turning them against the United States.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning
Verb
-
Bake tart on baking sheet, rotating front to back halfway through, until almonds and crust are deep golden brown, 45–55 minutes.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For the remainder of the final season, Penny Marshall was paired with rotating guest stars for a series of comedic misadventures.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Not deviating from those standards is equally important.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The resolution would authorize the state to redraw its congressional district maps in the middle of the 10-year cycle, deviating from the current practice of redistricting only after the federal census every 10 years.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At some point before the end of the season, before that Bills game, Glenn had initial conversations with veteran coach Wink Martindale about the idea of becoming Glenn’s defensive coordinator.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That contrast is becoming more noticeable as their professional paths diverge.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There’s also a revolving cast of characters, like musical theater snob Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), her pianist brother Ryan (Lucas Grabeel), and Troy’s puppy-dog-esque best friend Chad Danforth (Corbin Bleu), all with varying levels of excitement about Troy’s sudden interest in arpeggio scales.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2026
-
There’s no revolving bookshelf in place just yet.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Smart’s captors subjected her to rape daily, something that drove her to the point of contemplating suicide.—
Stephanie Kaloi,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The inventive dishes called to mind the blue zone pillar of nourishing our bodies with food from the earth, and left me contemplating how to incorporate more ingredients like these into my everyday diet.—
Mary Honkus,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Social media reaction — good or bad, depending on the performance and result — is an unreliable barometer of reality.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Broil until cheese is melted, browned, and bubbling, 3–6 minutes, depending on your oven (watch carefully).—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Clean-up crews had barely finished clearing the Hard Rock Stadium field before the door started spinning.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Onscreen, contestants raced to solve word puzzles, spinning the wheel of fortune and following clues about Christmas carols.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Turkey has a strained relationship with Israel but good relations with Hamas and could play an important role in persuading the group to yield power in Gaza and disarm.—
Cara Anna,
Fortune,
19 Jan. 2026
-
RideSD has meanwhile had success persuading city planning officials to add more bus routes to new growth blueprints for neighborhoods across the city, including Mira Mesa, University City and the College Area.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
