turn 1 of 2

Definition of turnnext
1
as in to rotate
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis turned the doorknob as quietly as possible

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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

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3
as in to deviate
to change one's course or direction we turned left at the light the storm unexpectedly turned south and missed our area

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4
as in to become
to eventually have as a state or quality will turn 12 in six months

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5
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7
as in to depend
to be determined by, based on, or subject (to) what we do next turns on your answer to the following question

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8
as in to spin
to be in a confused state as if from being twirled around all the new information made his head turn

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9
as in to persuade
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge he did his best to turn his new friends against his ex-wife

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turn

2 of 2

noun

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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

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6
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group between the show's two major musical acts, there was a short turn by a juggling troupe

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of turn
Verb
Munn and her husband share two children, Malcolm, 4, and Mei Mei, who will turn 2 this fall. Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026 That’s not an opinion shared by MVP Arena in Albany, though, which expects to turn a tidy profit this weekend. Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
The Dodgers and the Yankees each own a portion of their networks, which has yielded huge paydays and, in turn, greater spending power. Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026 High interest rates, in turn, make gold less appealing. Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
  • The other side of the lounge will feature numerous food options that will rotate throughout the season, including classic American game day food, Asian food, BBQ, and vegetarian options.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Even when flying in one direction, horizons can be rotated, and perspectives can be shifted to look back or perform a flip.
    Omar Kardoudi March 27, New Atlas, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • My dad glanced behind us once to see if we were being followed, winked at me in the rearview mirror, and then swung our car toward Interstate 80, headed west.
    Zayd Ayers Dohrn, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Then the pendulum swung and strength training came into vogue in the ’90s and 2000s as more research emerged suggesting that lifting could help improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis, Petrzela says.
    Caitlin Carlson, SELF, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • If the Giants don’t deviate from their rotation, Tyler Mahle will pitch on Saturday, while Landen Roupp and Adrian Houser will handle the first two games of the series in San Diego on Monday and Tuesday.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Accordingly, the warring factions have competed to depict themselves as the true embodiment of MAGA and paint their rivals as undermining Trump or deviating from his precepts.
    Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • To him, division within the Republican Party became prominent after conservative activist and Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk was shot dead on a college campus in Utah last September.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Iran also is targeting data centers with both cyber and conventional weapons, showing how important the centers have become to the economy, communications and military information security.
    ABC News, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Take, for example, a $50 million revolving credit line.
    Ben Weiss, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Applications for that program will open monthly on a revolving basis beginning April 1, and close the next day, a tight window that city officials said is necessary because of overwhelming demand.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Who ever ponders the conveniences of that 20th-century innovation, the airplane, that makes 21st-century hustle possible?
    CBS News, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
  • But news is expected soon on the Hall of Fame KU coach, who is pondering his future after having heart problems the past few years.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Efforts to enable reversible, two-way actuation have led to the development of systems such as semi-crystalline networks and liquid crystalline elastomers, which depend on structural alignment under applied stress.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Payments largely depend on a recipient’s retirement age.
    Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In a 2015 email, when Mead Johnson was considering supplying some of its formula to a researcher for a study, a company neonatologist expressed concern that the results could be spun to make the preemie product look unsafe.
    David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Others dabble in meme coins — crypto assets that are quickly spun up and traded around memes and cultural moments.
    Bracey Harris, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

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