turn back

verb

turned back; turning back; turns back

intransitive verb

1

a

: to go in the reverse direction

b

: to stop going forward

2

: to refer to an earlier time or place

transitive verb

1

: to drive back or away

2

: to stop the advance of

3

: to fold back

4

: give back, return

Phrases

turn back the clock

: to revert to or remind of a condition existing in the past

Synonyms

• beat off
• fend (off)
• rebut
• repel
• repulse
• stave off
• turn away

Examples of turn back in a Sentence

a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire

Recent Examples on the Web

More than likely, they are caught, Helly is forced to go upstairs to turn back into Helena, and either Mark is murdered for doing such damage to Lumon’s plan (and for killing a Lumon executive), or Innie Mark essentially dies when Lumon also forces him to go upstairs. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025

A number of overnight flights out of L.A. were asked to turn back three to four hours into their journeys. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2025

The news came after a federal judge, U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, ordered to temporarily halt the removals and turn back any planes carrying deportees. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025

Because the puppet is turning back into a real boy. —Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Rhymes for turn back

• aback
• anzac
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback

Kids Definition

turn back

verb

1

: to go in the reverse direction : return

turned back for home

2

: to stop the advance of : check

turned back the enemy