turns 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of turn
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

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Relevance
2
3
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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4
5
6
7
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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8
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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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

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turns

2 of 2

noun

plural of turn
1
2
3
4
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

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6
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
In the last stretch of Slam Frank, the show turns serious, as Anne’s silent sister Margot starts talking. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 Only the sixth turns it into an attachment bond specifically. — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026 Their answer is a study, described in Advanced Energy Materials, that turns indoor humidity into a small electric current. — New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026 By evening, the Moon enters your 8th House and turns your attention inward. — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026 Some businesses started selling marijuana under the theory that raw marijuana’s THC is in a form called THC-A, which only turns into impairing delta-9 when heated or burned. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 Withdrawals are generally not permitted before the calendar year the beneficiary turns 18. — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026 The Hurricanes have been far from perfect as September turns into October. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2026 Miller turns her attention back to Kaczynski’s brother, David Kaczynski (Matthew Kevin Anderson), who originally tipped the FBI off. — Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
Why Abercrombie and Hollister took different turns The transformation goes beyond marketing. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026 Shares of independent power producers (CEG, NRG, VST) saw multiples contract 2 to 8 turns during the rate surge, even as power contract pricing and long-term volume demand remained robust. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 Lightly marinate with French’s mustard; season with salt and a couple turns of black pepper. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 The physical and perceptual, or phenomenological, experience of Shift is achieved according to a sequence of actual turns. — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Hartnett brings none of the wickedness that made his performance in Trap so much fun, just coming across as flat onscreen even as his character has to navigate some wild turns. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 International experts have denounced President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s repression of the opposition and push to eliminate term limits as worrisome turns toward autocracy. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 With Apatow at the helm, the chat took some comical turns, as might be expected, and also some unusually revealing ones, as Apatow getting McCartney to loosen up provided some real personal asides as well as screwball dialogue. — Chris Willman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026 Day-Lewis went on to win two Academy Awards for his turns as Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood (2007) and the titular president in Lincoln (2012). — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns
Verb
  • The Swiss presidency rotates each year among its members and the largely ceremonial role of president, currently Guy Parmelin of the Swiss People's Party, is considered a first among equals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The White House pool, which rotates daily, is composed of a small group of reporters given close face-to-face access to the president during events.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • When the Spider swings past a silverish-gray newsstand filled with copies of the Daily Bugle, the frame becomes black-and-white, even in the color version.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • There was no notice to staff that swings in blood sugar levels can cause the kind of emotional distress and behavioral outbursts that got Christian in trouble.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Her position deviates from her religion as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which publicly opposes the ballot measure.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 25 Sep. 2026
  • But just like in the series’ preceding season, The Ed Gein Story, this one deviates from its titular character to pad itself out.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This becomes clear when, moving on from ephemera, the exhibit turns cerebral.
    — J. Hoberman, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Their bid to change their lives turns into a dangerous chase, and the friendship becomes the one thing protecting them.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Lialina’s practice as an artist and archivist revolves the uneven promises of permanence, loss, maintenance, and distribution that the internet, in its many formats and phases, represents.
    — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Repayment happens as customers settle their invoices, and the facility essentially revolves, with fresh invoices replacing those that have been paid off.
    — Amit Singhania, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As is often the case in both real life and the movies, this modern millennial lady ponders this very question all the time.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Nacua, who expects to play against the 49ers as the NFL ponders a potential suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, returned to practice last week.
    — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Shedd is an institution that depends on public support, from ticket sales to donations, and owes the public a full accounting of the circumstances surrounding these whales’ deaths.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • However, widespread deployment still depends on compatible vehicles, chargers, communications systems, regulations, and business models.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Spend an evening in Pilsen shopping 50 or so artists and makers as DJ Johnny Walker spins tunes.
    — Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The seats are on the side of the track, allowing riders’ feet to dangle below or above them as their seat spins forward or backward.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Turns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turns. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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