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

In 2023, after WrestleMania 39, Lesnar suddenly turned against Rhodes and attacked him. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025

And the courage to act when the political tide turns against you. —London Business School, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

Meghan Markle's negative press reviews echo a period during her time as a working royal when the British media suddenly turned against her. —Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025

Many Colonists turned against Britain in response, especially those like George Washington, who had speculated in the land west of the Appalachian Mountains. —G. Patrick O'Brien, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for turn against

• recommenced
• recompensed
• commenced
• condensed
• dispensed
• expensed
• incensed
• unfenced
• fenced
• sensed
• tensed