turn against
phrasal verb
turned against; turning against; turns against
1
: to stop supporting or being friendly to (someone or something)
The senator eventually turned against the war.
She turned against her best friend.
2
: to cause (someone) to stop being friendly toward (someone)
He tried to turn our friends against us.
3
: to use (something) in a way that harms or discredits (someone)
Her political opponent tried to turn her many years of experience in Washington against her.
Examples of turn against in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Successful couples show a 20 to one ratio, with 20 bids of turning towards for every negative bid of turning against or away.
—
Michael Alcée, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2025
The sword Saul wielded against the church as its most ardent persecutor was now turned against him.
—Dan Miller, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
Later, just as the idea of ‘right of soil’ was turned against the Brits in North America, a similar reversal of fortunes took place in the European colonies to the south.
—Michael Rios, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
The towering former cop with a long dark beard defied Hopper’s authority and sued the district attorney’s office and the county as a whole for turning against him.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for turn against 
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Michael Alcée, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2025
The sword Saul wielded against the church as its most ardent persecutor was now turned against him.
—Dan Miller, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
Later, just as the idea of ‘right of soil’ was turned against the Brits in North America, a similar reversal of fortunes took place in the European colonies to the south.
—Michael Rios, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
The towering former cop with a long dark beard defied Hopper’s authority and sued the district attorney’s office and the county as a whole for turning against him.
—Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 26 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for turn against
Dictionary Entries Near turn against
Cite this Entry
“Turn against.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turn%20against. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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