TURNS Synonyms: 343 Similar and Opposite Words

turns 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of turn

as in rotates

to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis turned the doorknob as quietly as possible

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Relevance

as in swings

to change the course or direction of (something) the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around he turned his cart uphill

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as in deviates

to change one's course or direction we turned left at the light the storm unexpectedly turned south and missed our area

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as in becomes

to eventually have as a state or quality will turn 12 in six months

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as in revolves

to move in circles around an axis or center the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving

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as in ponders

to give serious and careful thought to turned the question every which way but could find no answer

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as in depends

to be determined by, based on, or subject (to) what we do next turns on your answer to the following question

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as in spins

to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around all the new information made his head turn

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as in convinces

to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge he did his best to turn his new friends against his ex-wife

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turns

2 of 2

noun

plural of turn

as in walks

a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure would you care to take a turn around the garden?

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as in services

an act of kind assistance one good turn deserves another

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as in tendencies

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding

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as in bends

something that curves or is curved right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right

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as in bouts

a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a sudden turn of dizziness that may have been brought on by a change in her medication

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as in acts

a performance regularly presented by an individual or group between the show's two major musical acts, there was a short turn by a juggling troupe

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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 turns

Verb

Face filters can be advanced, but images may break if a scammer turns their head or is asked to stand and spin around, Whyte said. — Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 Garrett, the former seventh overall draft pick who turns 29 on Wednesday and will be under club control for two more seasons after this, suffered a torn UCL midway through the 2024 season. — David Brandt, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026 The story turns Hishem, on a customs officer on the Algerian-Tunisian border, who encounters Tesla, a donkey lost in the desert with headphones over his ears, with a bag of cocaine on his back. — Annika Pham, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026 Kim also barred Kendall from contacting his son, with limited exceptions subject to court approval, until November 2035, when the boy turns 16. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026 The two nearly go their separate ways until Lestat turns a young girl (Kirsten Dunst) whose mother died from the plague. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 That single change turns debugging in the dark into a solvable problem. — Jacqueline Destefano-Tangorra, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 The money can’t be accessed until the child turns 18, and only then for specific purposes, such as going to school, opening a business or buying a home. — ABC News, 22 July 2026 MorningLux on iOS measures ambient lux through the phone sensor and turns morning light into a daily number. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026

Noun

Small prey, with smaller bodies, can make abrupt, tight turns. — Rachel Sargent Mirus, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026 While no titles changed hands, the night saw significant returns, heel turns, and memorable in-ring action. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The signals successfully navigated sharp turns and narrow bottlenecks without reflecting backward or leaking into neighboring channels. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, with lighter, thinner lines testing 10 pounds or less, five to seven turns ensure maximum knot strength. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026 These kinds of meaty feature-length turns from Oscar winners used to be prime bait for Emmy voters, but now Field’s nom is more exception than rule. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 The signature FlyingSAUCER element features steep banked turns that accelerate riders through weightless maneuvers unlike any other water slide experience. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 Knightsbridge won the Grade III Monmouth Cup by 10¼ lengths last week while taking on two turns and a length longer than a mile for the first time. — Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 July 2026 There hasn’t been a dull moment in the trajectory of your career, but the twists and turns brought on by Mercury retrograde have given you a new perspective and direction in your professional goals. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 26 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns

Verb

The eclipse path also passes close to Earth’s equator, where the surface rotates faster.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Haribo already rotates limited-edition flavors, so a Sweet Heat bag wouldn’t even be a stretch.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Definition of rotates

Verb

Thus, if the balance of justice comes up even ― the parties' positions are exactly 50/50 in merit ― the courts will ever so slightly put their finger on the creditor's side so that the balance swings in the creditor's favor.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Whether the issue is autism, AI, or something else, MAHA swings at anything and everything.

— Craig Spencer, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026

Definition of swings

Verb

Palm Aire residents Wayne Oken and Richard Hosford say the plan deviates from what was originally promised when the development was first unveiled.

— Joan Murray, CBS News, 30 July 2026
This production choice deviates from Marvel's usual digital pipeline, with large-format film capturing significantly more visual detail.

— Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of deviates

Verb

That all plays into the feeling that the power balance in the region is shifting, especially as China becomes more dominant.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
These incidents have highlighted the vulnerabilities in AI security and control and raised questions over how AI can be safely under human control as the technology’s usage becomes more widespread globally.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026

Definition of becomes

Verb

Earnings out in August could be the catalyst that decides whether this flag revolves higher in the near term.

— Todd Gordon, CNBC, 29 July 2026
Sharing scenes with the other principal characters, intense or sensitive as the moment requires, Alice is the hub around whom the series revolves and hurtles forward.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026

Definition of revolves

Verb

Vieira ponders the dilemma from his own perspective as a coach, having had spells in charge at New York City, Nice, Crystal Palace, Strasbourg and Genoa.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 15 June 2026
As coach John Hynes ponders his Game 1 starter, the recent numbers will show that Wallstedt has allowed a total of four goals in his final two regular-season starts, while veteran Filip Gustavsson has been touched for 10 in the same span.

— Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 15 Apr. 2026

Definition of ponders

Verb

Visibility depends on factors like solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Jagetz described tattooing as a profession that remains heavily male dominated, where apprentices are frequently expected to tolerate inappropriate behavior because obtaining a license often depends on the person training them.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of depends

Verb

What to do nearby While the free continental breakfast is fine, do pop over to Madcap Coffee for an excellent roast, or take a short stroll to colorful SPKRBOX, a coffee bar by day that spins vinyl by night.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026
The book pays homage to all your classic romance tropes — fake relationship, enemies to lovers, boy next door — but spins them on their head in this new take on what happily ever after looks like.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 31 July 2026