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

But the city soon turns her plans upside down as Julia becomes drawn into a new job, a new life and two unexpected romances. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 When a child turns 18, the account essentially becomes a traditional IRA. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026 That's how a first-round investment turns into a second-round in-season trade 33 NFL games later. — Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Set in 1969, the film follows how rising media tycoon Rupert Murdoch acquires UK newspaper The Sun and how his partnership with editor Larry Lamb (O’Connell) turns the paper into Britain’s most influential and at-times controversial tabloid. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026 How light turns the tattoo on and off The key to PhotoTat is a class of chemicals called photochromic dyes, which change colour when exposed to particular wavelengths of light. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 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

Noun

During this construction, left turns from westbound Sunrise Boulevard to southbound Northeast 26th Avenue aren’t allowed. — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 After smart directorial turns with films like his Oscar-winning Argo, The Town , Air and Gone Baby Gone, this film feels as if Affleck is biting off a little too much, throwing too much at the wall to see what sticks. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 The turns came in a flurry as each of Green, Levine, and Clarkson had two spots to fill, and Latifah had one to give. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026 The Eastern Sierra resort rises to 11,053 feet, making Mammoth California’s highest ski-resort summit, and its 3,500 acres mean there’s plenty of mountain for first-timers finding their turns and seasoned skiers hunting for steeper lines. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026 During this time, crews will add a fourth eastbound lane, replace bridges and straighten out two tight turns at Benton Boulevard and Jackson Avenue. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns

Verb

This divergence reflects both short-term irregularities in how fast Earth rotates, and a very gradual, long-term slowdown of Earth’s rotation, caused primarily by the Moon’s gravitational pull on Earth’s oceans.

— Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
The café rotates beans from young farmers across Colombia, allowing guests to experience the country’s diverse growing regions through different filter coffees.

— Nikkita Nair, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of rotates

Verb

Elizondo’s wide-ranging production discography, which swings from hip-hop to country, rock and R&B, attracted Greta Van Fleet.

— Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of swings

Verb

The Netflix series gently deviates from the source material at times, including swapping the book’s Lord Caterham for Lady Caterham, played by Helena Bonham Carter.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of deviates

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

Definition of revolves

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

Definition of ponders

Verb

Cindy Galán and Isabel Spencer were equally important because the film depends on the relationships among the women inside the house and how those relationships begin to change as the hierarchy shifts.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Whether such multi-member districts would totally end gerrymandering depends on their design, which remains hotly contested.

— Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026