1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
5
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in ponders
to give serious and careful thought to
turned the question every which way but could find no answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in walks
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure
would you care to take a turn around the garden?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in services
an act of kind assistance
one good turn deserves another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of turns
Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026
After finishing the letter, Anna shares a look with her mother that eventually turns into a smile.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
Taking the ice in a shimmering silver leotard, Liu dazzled the crowd and judges with a slew of unbelievable jumps, turns and spins.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 Jan. 2026
The internet, in other words, turns us all into fawners.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
This workout setting turns your gym routine into something truly unforgettable.
—Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
First baseman Pete Alonso, 31, signed a five-year, $155-million deal with the Orioles and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, signed a five-year, $150-million deal with the Phillies.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Bregman, who turns 32 in March, was back on the market for a second straight offseason.
—CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
And in the fall, when the air turns crisp and the fields turn orange, this unassuming little town reminds visitors that sometimes, the most unique places grow from the simplest seeds (pun intended).
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Jan. 2026
Just a quick rotation, and your personal audio turns into shared sound.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Clean lines, sharp lines, sharp turns.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
As in Samuel Beckett’s tragicomic theater and novels, Tarr’s movies, by turns funny and heartbreaking, dignify human struggle with a tenacity of vision and empathy.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Delhomme’s answer, by turns humorous and insightful, is worth listening to.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
Here’s to boredom, to wrong turns, to fruitful friction.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Her memoir writing on the independent artist’s life has driven me to purchase silk sheets and lust after writing sheds, while novels like The Man Who Saw Everything glitter with ambitious formal turns.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The Cowboy Coaster takes you on a nearly mile-long journey of curves, loops, and sharp turns, reaching nearly 30 miles per hour.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
Due to Brigham’s indefinite incarceration and inability to earn an income, Taylor is seeking a lump-sum child support payment from his estate to satisfy his monthly obligation until the child graduates from high school or turns 18.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026
After finishing the letter, Anna shares a look with her mother that eventually turns into a smile.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026
Taking the ice in a shimmering silver leotard, Liu dazzled the crowd and judges with a slew of unbelievable jumps, turns and spins.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 12 Jan. 2026
The internet, in other words, turns us all into fawners.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
This workout setting turns your gym routine into something truly unforgettable.
—Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
First baseman Pete Alonso, 31, signed a five-year, $155-million deal with the Orioles and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, signed a five-year, $150-million deal with the Phillies.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Bregman, who turns 32 in March, was back on the market for a second straight offseason.
—CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
And in the fall, when the air turns crisp and the fields turn orange, this unassuming little town reminds visitors that sometimes, the most unique places grow from the simplest seeds (pun intended).
—Karthika Gupta, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
Set beneath the Matterhorn, the resort spans over 225 miles of pistes across Switzerland and Italy, with high-altitude skiing that stretches up to nearly 12,800 feet on the glacier—often allowing for early-season and late-spring turns when other resorts are winding down.
—Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Jan. 2026
Just a quick rotation, and your personal audio turns into shared sound.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Clean lines, sharp lines, sharp turns.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
As in Samuel Beckett’s tragicomic theater and novels, Tarr’s movies, by turns funny and heartbreaking, dignify human struggle with a tenacity of vision and empathy.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Delhomme’s answer, by turns humorous and insightful, is worth listening to.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
Here’s to boredom, to wrong turns, to fruitful friction.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Her memoir writing on the independent artist’s life has driven me to purchase silk sheets and lust after writing sheds, while novels like The Man Who Saw Everything glitter with ambitious formal turns.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The Cowboy Coaster takes you on a nearly mile-long journey of curves, loops, and sharp turns, reaching nearly 30 miles per hour.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns
Verb
-
Adley, who at Marigold rotates dishes regularly, is enticing diners to Heretik with a chicken operation and shellfish, oysters and sea urchins.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
-
This is because the Sun rotates once every 28 days.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Forcefully thrust your hips forward to return to standing so that the bell swings up in front of you.—
Greg Presto,
Outside,
7 Jan. 2026
-
When the rudder is put over, the stern swings out first, so that if the vessel is in restricted waters, trying to avoid something ahead can result in hitting something behind.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The director's take deviates from Shelley's in its emphasis on forgiveness.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Disney performance, which typically runs on weekdays, deviates from the religious overtunes.—
Todd Martens,
Boston Herald,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
As the family's frantic search begins, the media is quick to point the finger at Marissa and her friend, Jenny Kaminski (Elle Fanning), whose nanny, Carrie Finch (Sophia Lillis), becomes the prime suspect.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The vases also reflect his perspective that design should slow down and allow consumers to hold onto items for longer than the fashion cycle typically revolves today.—
Sarah Jones,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Writer-director Annemarie Jacir takes on her largest-scale production to date with Palestine 36, a panoramic drama that interweaves period re-creations with evocative archival footage and revolves among characters both fictional and historical.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Small businesses throughout the Golden State, especially those in rural or underserved communities, are on pins and needles as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ponders Verizon’s acquisition of Frontier.—
Javier Palomarez,
Sacbee.com,
19 Dec. 2025
-
The difference between these two performances makes the romance even more unbelievable, as the audience ponders what this seemingly confident woman sees in this immature putz.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Session length depends on availability and need.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The length of cold required to break dormancy in any particular tree species depends on both the length of typical winter and the variability of winter temperature patterns where a species evolved.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Therapeutic Chiron spins direct in your 11th House of Friendship, turning awkward group dynamics into teachable moments and opening space for clear team agreements.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
2 Jan. 2026
-
This recipe takes a classic grits recipe and spins it into an immensely flavorful breakfast casserole.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turns. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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