turn 1 of 2

verb

ˈtərn How to pronounce turn (audio)
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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6
as in to ponder
to give serious and careful thought to turned the question every which way but could find no answer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

1
as in walk
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure would you care to take a turn around the garden?

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2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance one good turn deserves another

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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

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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

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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
Soon Lane had his first ten titles and could set the presses turning. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 On the day of the murders, Sierra had joined the family on a shopping outing to Mall of the Americas to purchase a birthday gift for Daniela, who was days shy of turning 4. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
Most include decks or private patios with firepits ignited by the turn of a switch. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026 Katie Zacharia, the new White House press secretary, faced reporters for the first time Tuesday for a very brief turn at the lectern, taking a handful of questions before abruptly wrapping it up. — Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
  1. rotate
  2. swing
  3. deviate
  4. become
  5. revolve
  6. ponder
  7. depend
  8. spin
Verb
  • When the device rotates, the frequencies of these signals shift slightly relative to each other.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But having a card that earns 2X rewards everywhere doesn't restrict you from opening a rewards card that earns a 3X return on popular categories or 5% back on rotating categories.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotate
Verb
  • Deputies say Gonzalez grabbed a dumbbell, raised it and swung at Murant.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Squalls swung in across the north bank and obscured the river.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of swing
Verb
  • But in Central Asia, far from the empire’s center, local artists sometimes used the mosaics to deviate from the official agenda.
    — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But over time, due to a variety of systems issues with obtaining certain medications, the lethal injection protocol has deviated from the standard devised by Chapman.
    — M. Sara Rosenthal, STAT, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of deviate
Verb
  • Wang failed her first attempt to defend her dissertation and became envious of her colleague's success in discovering how to deliver RNA to human cells using bacteria, Gomelsky told The Associated Press.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Google’s streaming behemoth is becoming ever more integral to media development, distribution and marketing plans for most contenders in media, from the biggest Hollywood studios to indie startups.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of become
Verb
  • This part of the invoice financing process functions similarly to a revolving line of credit.
    — Andrew Coon, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For veterinary practice owners who want flexible access to working capital for ongoing expenses, unexpected costs or growth opportunities, Bluevine offers a revolving business line of credit of up to $250,000.
    — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of revolve
Verb
  • The Liberty Bell, with its famous crack, hasn’t been rung in 180 years, but that hasn’t stopped scientists from pondering what the bell might have sounded like when tolling.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In addition, Mendes and the studio have been pondering a highly unique reporting structure for the films’ box office receipts.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ponder
Verb
  • Restaurants, grocery stores and shops depend on deliveries, yet too many commercial corridors lack adequate loading zones.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Social workers, nurses, therapists, and home health aides provide care that depends not simply on technical skill, but on empathy, dignity, and compassion.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of depend
Verb
  • Allison worries everyday fans are being conditioned to see the diamond – or the court or the field – as slot machines and the human athletes as spinning symbols that sometimes align as dollar signs.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • That level of control precluded a Vatican media operation from spinning tall tales as occurred during John Paul's reign.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of spin

Phrases Containing turn

Browse Nearby Words

turmoils
turn
turnabout
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Cite this Entry

“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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