turn 1 of 2

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
6
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
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
  • The Chargers rotated heavily at corner in Tuesday’s practice.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • The situation became even more tense when her father, who was visiting at the time, stepped in and accused her of being ungrateful.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 24 May 2025
  • Stewart quickly became a lineup staple on vault, bars, and beam in her freshman season for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
    Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • The best way to pay off debt The best move for those struggling to pay down revolving credit card debt is to consolidate with a 0% balance transfer card, experts suggest.
    Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The filing also details various financial agreements, including a revolving credit agreement entered on May 1, 2024, with a maturity date of May 1, 2029.
    Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • California Democrats are now pondering the unthinkable.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
  • The Sharks could have a lot to think about – or nothing to ponder at all.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Their appearance and length of time in the sky depends on the temperature, humidity, wind speed and altitude, according to the National Weather Service.
    Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 May 2025
  • How much to thin out your seedlings in your garden depends on how far apart the mature plants should be for optimal growth.
    Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Díaz sprang from behind the plate, picked up the ball on the line with his back to first base, spun and threw out Murphy by a step.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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