1
2
as in to swing
to change the course or direction of (something)
the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around he turned his cart uphill
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
5
as in to revolve
to move in circles around an axis or center
the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to ponder
to give serious and careful thought to
turned the question every which way but could find no answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
1
as in walk
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure
would you care to take a turn around the garden?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance
one good turn deserves another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tendency
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bend
something that curves or is curved
right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in bout
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of turn
Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 29 May 2025
At Christian Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri worked to turn a legacy house into a home.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 29 May 2025
Ted Janes, Outdoor Life, 29 May 2025
The rider was heading south on Centre City Parkway approaching Nutmeg Street shortly after 7:35 p.m. when a 67-year-old driver in a Hyundai Ioniq began to make a left-hand turn from Nutmeg to northbound Centre City Parkway.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn
Verb
The model, who turns 18 on May 29, 2025, made her runway debut in 2023
Comments
Zaya Wade is one stylish teenager!
—Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 29 May 2025
At Christian Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri worked to turn a legacy house into a home.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 29 May 2025
Noun
Larry Fowler and Muskrat Jimmie had done me a good turn this night.
—Ted Janes, Outdoor Life, 29 May 2025
The rider was heading south on Centre City Parkway approaching Nutmeg Street shortly after 7:35 p.m. when a 67-year-old driver in a Hyundai Ioniq began to make a left-hand turn from Nutmeg to northbound Centre City Parkway.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
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The Chargers rotated heavily at corner in Tuesday’s practice.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
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The brigade rotates its infantry only on days when fog, rain, snow, or heavy wind limit the enemy’s visibility.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2025
Verb
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The president's team has now swung the pendulum in the opposite direction from five years ago, even attempting to rescind findings of constitutional violations in the cities where Floyd and Taylor lost their lives.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
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The momentum swung again on the next hole when Griffin saved par from behind a tree in the fairway and Schmid curiously aimed away from the hole with his ball plugged in a bunker, ended up in the rough and made bogey.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 May 2025
Verb
-
No one deviates, because no one has an incentive to, unless someone changes the underlying payoff structure.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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Like Episode 3 of Season 1, Sunday’s installment of the series was the rare episode that deviated from the game’s narrative to tell a deeper story about the characters.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
Verb
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But what the restaurant has become most famous for is its maneki-neko figurines, otherwise known as a beckoning cat, which has become a mascot for the restaurant.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
24 May 2025
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These peers became my first readers, accountability buddies, and partners in promoting my book.—
Jaclyn Westlake,
CNBC,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Garcia pointed out the movie will have an uplifting dimension, revolving on the strong bond between a mother and her son.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
14 May 2025
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Too many individuals think the world revolves only around them.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
California Democrats are now pondering the unthinkable.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
22 May 2025
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The Sharks could have a lot to think about – or nothing to ponder at all.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Verb
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The distribution of payments depends on which day of the month a retiree was born.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
25 May 2025
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Social isolation and loneliness may be chronic or occur in episodes, but that depends on an individual’s circumstances.—
Joshua Zatulskis,
Hartford Courant,
25 May 2025
Verb
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To have this ability to contain secrets but to withhold them and have this facade with Michaela that’s totally different than the relationship with her sister, to keep all those plates spinning, that’s a tall order.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
24 May 2025
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The airwaves are full of young stars spinning narratives with a Jarvis-style eye for junk detail, from Chappell to Billie to Olivia.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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