turning back

verb

present participle of turn back
as in turning away
to drive back a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 back Cubans are planning their lives around the lights turning back on. — Andrea Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 At times, they were seen swerving around other drivers and driving at speeds up to 95 miles per hour in the northbound lanes before getting onto the westbound I-10, exiting near downtown and then turning back toward Boyle Heights on surface streets. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Miglietta explained that the jellyfish appears to be dying and sinks to the bottom, then, like a butterfly turning back into a caterpillar, shrinks into a ball. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 Exhausted after turning back a Spain barrage in a scoreless draw to start this tournament, Vozinha released tears as memorable as Messi’s. — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 20 July 2026 The front-9 and the beginning of the back-9 holes play mostly away from the coastline, but play moves back towards the Moray Firth on the par-4 13th, hugging the waterline for the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes before turning back towards the clubhouse. — Zach Schenfisch, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Inside the White House, meanwhile, the debate was turning back to Iran. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 According to the outlet, the suspect at one point swam toward shore near Temescal Canyon before abruptly turning back into deeper water, prompting lifeguards to move in and end the standoff. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 Congress has grappled with turning back the clocks many times. — Yonat Shimron, NPR, 16 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning back
  1. turning away
  2. repelling
  3. repulsing
  4. resisting
  5. beating off
Verb
  • Slightly turning away from the camera, Schiffer revealed that the back of her bikini top was held together with the netting.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But with burnout on the rise in health care, many clinicians are turning away students.
    — Colleen Connolly, STAT, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of turning away
Verb
  • This is more than a sophisticated arms race aimed at repelling threats and protecting borders.
    — Kamal Ahmed, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The Build Forward Ukraine team was also aware of Irpin and the special role the city had played in the dark early days, repelling the Russian ground offensive aimed at taking Kyiv, 14 miles south.
    — Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of repelling
Verb
  • 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
Definition of repulsing
Verb
  • During the arrest, Guerrero-Chavez began resisting, even slipping out of her handcuffs and attempting to run back to her vehicle, Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Wiener has long championed making housing easier to build, but in San Francisco resisting development is a bedrock cause for those on the city’s left.
    — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of resisting
Verb
  • Liverpool are keen for the 21-year-old to gain regular senior experience with Hartberg beating off competition from a number of clubs in Switzerland and France.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of beating off

Browse Nearby Words

turning away
turning back
turning color
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Cite this Entry

“Turning back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20back. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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