as in milestones
a point in a chain of events at which an important change (as in one's fortunes) occurs
the turning point came when Victor finally admitted he was a werewolf
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Recent Examples of turning points
However, the full moon in Leo on February 1 is pointing to turning points in your career or status this month, and the eclipse in Aquarius on February 17 strongly suggests that this new beginning will involve changes to your domestic life, living situation, and family.
—
Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Jan. 2026
Economically and socially, conversations around value, resources, sustainability, and wealth distribution may reach turning points.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Almost half of those turning points are driven by external shocks rather than internal execution failures.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Eras Tour Brain scans of thousands of people revealed that the human brain has five distinct eras, with turning points in the way it is organized occurring at age nine, 32, 66 and 83.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 Dec. 2025
There are turning points in just about every campaign like this and Ireland’s came in September with their humbling 2-1 defeat by 10-man Armenia, ranked 105th in the world, 45 places below them.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Those relationships, even small ones, can be turning points.
—Laura Rivera, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
There were a number of turning points that went against the Chiefs.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2025
These are the kinds of turning points that make flexibility essential.
—Hillary Stalker, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Jan. 2026
Economically and socially, conversations around value, resources, sustainability, and wealth distribution may reach turning points.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Almost half of those turning points are driven by external shocks rather than internal execution failures.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The Eras Tour Brain scans of thousands of people revealed that the human brain has five distinct eras, with turning points in the way it is organized occurring at age nine, 32, 66 and 83.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 Dec. 2025
There are turning points in just about every campaign like this and Ireland’s came in September with their humbling 2-1 defeat by 10-man Armenia, ranked 105th in the world, 45 places below them.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025
Those relationships, even small ones, can be turning points.
—Laura Rivera, Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2025
There were a number of turning points that went against the Chiefs.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2025
These are the kinds of turning points that make flexibility essential.
—Hillary Stalker, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning points
Noun
-
Public relationship milestones may arrive—engagements, breakups, or defining conversations that put love front and center.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
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Malaysia and Vietnam hit domestic production milestones last year and Indonesia, like Singapore, recently announced plans to expand current operations.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The band has never sounded this melodic before; Wroth in particular brings a constant dynamism to his guitar solos, often layering two and reaching climaxes that refuse to collapse into just a flurry of notes, building off Phantom Slaughter’s keyboard melodies with a real sense of drama.—
Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
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There was plenty of raw energy in climaxes, sometimes too much for so supportive and reinforcing an acoustic as the Meyerson Symphony Center’s.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Because Aurora is not located near a major river or natural water body, nearly all of the water residents use begins as mountain snowpack, captured as runoff and transported from watersheds as far as 150 miles away.—
Mike Coffman,
Denver Post,
10 Feb. 2026
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Low snowpack meant reduced runoff across major watersheds, influencing water availability for agriculture, cities, and ecosystems downstream.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The plans, released in November, showed roadways encroaching on landmarks and fragmenting neighborhoods in historically Black parts of the city.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2026
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The key neighborhoods and landmarks flow naturally into one another, which means less time navigating transit and more time actually experiencing the city.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Alternately desolate and joyful, serene and psychedelic, the record is part astral journey and part inner reckoning, intent on blowing the cobwebs out of illness and grief’s dustiest corners.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
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Scuffles have been known to break out near the track — perhaps over money changing hands in unseen corners during each race.—
Camilla Wright,
semafor.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turning points.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20points. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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