1
as in relinquishing
to give (something) over to the control or possession of another usually under duress
reluctantly turned the ship over to the first mate while he went below to try to stop the leak
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leaving
to put (something) into the possession or safekeeping of another
turned the evidence over to the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in turning turtle
to turn on one's side or upside down
don't try to tell me the bucket turned over all by itself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in flipping
to change the position of (an object) so that the opposite side or end is showing
would you mind turning the picture over so I can see if the backing needs to be replaced
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turning over
The anecdote came up as part of a larger conversation Barrymore was having with her audience that day about turning over a new page after turning 50 earlier this year.
—
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
Having held all of them in contempt, the court stated that that the contempt could be purged by finally turning over all assets and records to the receiver.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
However, ADs do have a long history of crying poverty when faced with having to pay athletes, yet magically turning over couch cushions when the coach wants a raise.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Both McLaurin and Hendrickson were subject of major speculation in New England all summer, as Mike Vrabel has been in the process of turning over the Patriots' roster.
—Michael Hurley, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Tsangari doles out information cagily, turning over narrative cards with calculated delay, a bare sufficiency that undercuts her world-building in favor of point-making; the just-enough story is also a just-so story.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
Having held all of them in contempt, the court stated that that the contempt could be purged by finally turning over all assets and records to the receiver.
—Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
However, ADs do have a long history of crying poverty when faced with having to pay athletes, yet magically turning over couch cushions when the coach wants a raise.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Both McLaurin and Hendrickson were subject of major speculation in New England all summer, as Mike Vrabel has been in the process of turning over the Patriots' roster.
—Michael Hurley, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Tsangari doles out information cagily, turning over narrative cards with calculated delay, a bare sufficiency that undercuts her world-building in favor of point-making; the just-enough story is also a just-so story.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning over
Verb
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His mother would soon pass, and Agee hadn’t had the opportunity to find a new place to live after relinquishing his apartment pre-Suicide Squad.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
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While a strong federal government may be central to the Democratic Party's identity, maintaining that objective likely requires relinquishing control from the capital and encouraging state politicos to explore new ways to achieve success.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Afghan, who asked to remain anonymous, has lived for months at a time without leaving his home, fearful of retribution, and torture, from the Taliban.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
5 Sep. 2025
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In defending Wolves leaving some of their business until later in the window and missing out on several targets publicly, Shi made a fairly strong case for the club.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With astrocytes out of the picture, glutamate, a key neurotransmitter, spilled into extrasynaptic zones, flipping on NMDA receptors and revving up vasopressin neuron activity.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
3 Sep. 2025
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But the decision to accept digital assets isn't as simple as flipping a switch.—
Glenn Gonsalves,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The temperature has to be so low that atoms emit no infrared radiation, rendering traditional thermal imaging ineffective.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
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The gamble backfired, with the LDP losing seats in parliament and rendering it unable to form a majority government even with its coalition partners.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Johnson then had a lengthy discussion with MLB’s replay office in New York before handing the bat to an authenticator sitting near the Yankees dugout.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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The American designer brought Miceli on board with him at Louis Vuitton, eventually handing her the design reins for fashion jewelry.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Several of President Donald Trump‘s firings of independent agency heads have made their way through the Supreme Court‘s emergency docket, but Tuesday’s ruling in a federal appeals court likely moves the justices closer to overturning a 90-year precedent on the issue.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
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The bus exited the roadway and struck a ditch before overturning onto the driver’s side.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Work with your provider to manage your blood sugar levels and minimize complications, potentially even reversing the condition.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
7 Sep. 2025
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The fledgling Future Soldier prep course started during Joe Biden's presidency and has played a central role in reversing the recruiting slump.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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My Indian grandmother is turning in her grave.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
26 Aug. 2025
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Wheels began turning in Vivi's mind.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turning over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20over. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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