as in turns away
to drive back
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
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Recent Examples of turns back
Doing so will ensure your paperwork is processed and ready to go when the spigot turns back on.
—
Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
And Keenan Allen turns back the clock.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Law plays Jake Friedken, a hotshot restaurant owner whose life is thrown into chaos when his black sheep older brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), turns back up after years on the run.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
The third and final part focuses on the President (Idris Elba), who as the clock turns back again is making an appearance at a basketball game.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
And Keenan Allen turns back the clock.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
Law plays Jake Friedken, a hotshot restaurant owner whose life is thrown into chaos when his black sheep older brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), turns back up after years on the run.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
The third and final part focuses on the President (Idris Elba), who as the clock turns back again is making an appearance at a basketball game.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns back
Verb
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My body turns away before my mind can catch up.—
Valeng Cha,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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Amazon will also close 15 of its Amazon Go locations as the company turns away from brick-and-mortar grocery stores to concentrate on online same-day delivery and its Whole Foods Market brand.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed an ultra-stretchable material that repels nearly any liquid and holds up under extreme deformation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
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This creates a thin barrier that repels buildup.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If a partner or key ally resists a plan, ask what outcome matters most to them before offering your creative solution.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Friction-maxxing, originally coined to describe a parenting strategy that resists using a screen to address a child’s behavior, is now used to push back against the culture of convenience.—
Allan Smith,
NBC news,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turns back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turns%20back. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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