as in turning back
to drive back
using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid
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Recent Examples of turning away
Border policy used in past administrations The practice of not letting an asylum-seeker pass through a checkpoint was used periodically during the Obama administration, when border officers began turning away hundreds of Haitian asylum-seekers at ports of entry in California.
—
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Hospitals ran out of blood, and started turning away patients.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Opponents say that provision could potentially scare workers into turning away valid applicants while also discouraging people from working or volunteering at polling locations.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Later, at the Drake Road entrance to the Jewish Community Center, not quite 1 mile south, a Farmington Hills police officer was turning away vehicles.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Sustainability in focus Some clients are turning away from high-maintenance setups and instead leaning into sustainable options for their outdoor kitchens, says Daniel Germani, creative director of Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens.
—Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
At the same time, a number of private equity players that have been active in the past, like Eurazeo and Carlyle, are said to be turning away from beauty.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 10 Mar. 2026
To fill the space, models are turning away from doomscrolling (there’s enough doom and gloom in the news right now) and toward novels.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026
The United Kingdom has started strictly enforcing its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), turning away travelers without the digital form.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Hospitals ran out of blood, and started turning away patients.
—Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Opponents say that provision could potentially scare workers into turning away valid applicants while also discouraging people from working or volunteering at polling locations.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Later, at the Drake Road entrance to the Jewish Community Center, not quite 1 mile south, a Farmington Hills police officer was turning away vehicles.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Sustainability in focus Some clients are turning away from high-maintenance setups and instead leaning into sustainable options for their outdoor kitchens, says Daniel Germani, creative director of Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens.
—Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 12 Mar. 2026
At the same time, a number of private equity players that have been active in the past, like Eurazeo and Carlyle, are said to be turning away from beauty.
—Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 10 Mar. 2026
To fill the space, models are turning away from doomscrolling (there’s enough doom and gloom in the news right now) and toward novels.
—Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2026
The United Kingdom has started strictly enforcing its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), turning away travelers without the digital form.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning away
Verb
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There is no turning back, no compromise, no side road.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2026
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But savvy marketing campaigns and partnerships with major employers have tricked consumers into turning back to payday loans.—
Christopher Greenwood,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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While there are dismemberments and other bits of gruesome violence to be found in the film, Badlands is largely aimed at endearing its audience rather than repulsing them.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And beyond the initial hit to tourism and trade, the cost of repelling the attacks is staggering.—
Hadley Gamble,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
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This occurs when decomposing organic matter or soil fungi form a waxy, water-resistant coating around soil particles, repelling water rather than absorb it.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pride should come from your willingness to improve, not from resisting uncomfortable truths.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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One individual was also charged with complicity, and another was charged with resisting arrest, the department said.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The dogs had driven the woman into the surf before a tourist came to her rescue, beating off the dingoes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turning away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20away. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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