as in to repel
to drive back
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turn back
Angered by how deportees were being returned with their hands bound aboard military flights, Colombian President Gustavo Petro turned back two of the flights that were already in the air and heading to the South American nation, catching the Trump administration by surprise.
—
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
After opening with Pelle Larsson in Butler’s spot in Thursday’s loss at Milwaukee, Spoelstra on Saturday turned back to Haywood Highsmith, who logged 20 scoreless minutes.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
Ross turned back facing the officers when Barr fired two shots at Ross, causing the suspect to fall to the ground.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
Trump declared a national emergency over the U.S.-Mexico border, which unlocks federal funds to build the border wall and turn back more migrants.
—German Lopez, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for turn back 
Patrick Oppmann, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
After opening with Pelle Larsson in Butler’s spot in Thursday’s loss at Milwaukee, Spoelstra on Saturday turned back to Haywood Highsmith, who logged 20 scoreless minutes.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
Ross turned back facing the officers when Barr fired two shots at Ross, causing the suspect to fall to the ground.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
Trump declared a national emergency over the U.S.-Mexico border, which unlocks federal funds to build the border wall and turn back more migrants.
—German Lopez, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for turn back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn back
Verb
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Numerous attempts to break to new heights were repelled, pushing the price back to previous support levels.—
David Keller,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2025
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He is dressed in a pilgrim’s fur overcoat to repel rain and retain warmth.—
Virginia Raguin,
The Conversation,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But, as the story goes, the trial and its subsequent publicity made Burrell’s work dry up, and a lucrative book deal was impossible to resist.—
Allie Merriam,
Vogue,
30 Jan. 2025
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Set in the aftermath of a devastating toxic snowfall kills millions, the series is helmed by Bruno Stagnaro and stars Darín as Juan Salvo, who joins forces with a group of survivors in Buenos Aires to resist the invisible threat.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The twin engine Embraer ERJ 175 began a climbing right turn away from the airport, and later landed successfully, data from FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, shows.—
Casey Tolan,
CNN,
30 Jan. 2025
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The witness then stated that the victim had turned away from Mark in an attempt to ignore him and this is when Mark walked up to him with a plate and hit the victim on the head with the plate.—
Sophie Clark,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
Verb
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These same, once skeptical business leaders rallied around Trump in 2017 but were repulsed by many of his words and actions within eight months, withdrawing support, not returning to give him a second chance until now.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
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Western publics by and large have managed to stave off compassion fatigue and remain committed to helping Ukraine repulse the Russian invasion.—
Nina Jankowicz,
Foreign Affairs,
4 May 2023
Verb
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Despite the resilience of the U.S. economy in the post-pandemic years, the chance of a recession hitting the country hasn't been completely staved off.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
29 Jan. 2025
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Now a pair of local legislators hope to offer state money to stave off more pain.—
Ryan Gillespie,
Orlando Sentinel,
28 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near turn back
Cite this Entry
“Turn back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20back. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
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