TURNS Synonyms: 343 Similar and Opposite Words

turns 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of turn

as in rotates

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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Relevance

as in swings

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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as in deviates

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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as in becomes

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

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as in revolves

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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as in ponders

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

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as in depends

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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as in spins

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

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as in convinces

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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turns

2 of 2

noun

plural of turn

as in walks

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

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as in services

an act of kind assistance one good turn deserves another

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as in tendencies

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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as in bends

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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as in bouts

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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as in acts

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 turns

Verb

Sometimes you get wrapped up in things and your focus turns toward other types of content. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 By tonight, the Moon enters Aquarius and your attention turns toward what is worth your time and energy. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026 But duration turns the screw—prolonged humiliation or a slow unfolding toward future self-recrimination. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Knowing exactly what's going to happen in the sky turns a casual meteor watch into a rather more calculated exercise. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Dispute turns personal The confrontation grew out of a political disagreement over a proposal to extend term limits for Miami Gardens council members. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 Through schoolyard rivalries, neighborhood hustles, and family setbacks, Kev turns every disaster into a story. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 This is all without compromising the skin barrier, and offering a massaging action that enhances relaxation and turns a functional step into a spa-like treatment as a small wellness ritual. — Laura Sandroni, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026 When a child turns 18, the account essentially becomes a traditional IRA. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026

Noun

Rather than relying on supernatural creatures or elaborate mythology, Fears to Fathom builds suspense around seemingly ordinary situations that take increasingly terrifying turns. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 During acceleration, sudden braking, or sharp turns, unsecured belongings may slide across the floor, roll under seats, or shift around in the trunk. — New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026 Roller coasters are designed to deliver thrills through sudden drops, sharp turns and rapid changes in speed, but what kinds of injuries can these forces cause? — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 Strong acting turns by Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin help director Brian Duffield make a meal of a seemingly unfilmable novel about a sour young man swallowed by a whale. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Crews are adding a fourth eastbound lane, replace bridges and straighten out two right turns at Benton Boulevard and Jackson Avenue. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 Without giving away key narrative turns, Holmes and her husband Billy Evans work tirelessly to reboot a version of Theranos with a kind of desperation. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 During this construction, left turns from westbound Sunrise Boulevard to southbound Northeast 26th Avenue aren’t allowed. — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 The turns came in a flurry as each of Green, Levine, and Clarkson had two spots to fill, and Latifah had one to give. — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns

Verb

As the motor rotates the end, the rod deforms and stores elastic energy.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
Workday’s rally comes amid a broader rethink of software companies, which are starting to look more attractive as money rotates out of semiconductors and into parts of the AI trade that investors think will outperform going forward.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of rotates

Verb

Elizondo’s wide-ranging production discography, which swings from hip-hop to country, rock and R&B, attracted Greta Van Fleet.

— Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
When the Spider swings past a silverish-gray newsstand filled with copies of the Daily Bugle, the frame becomes black-and-white, even in the color version.

— Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of swings

Verb

The Netflix series gently deviates from the source material at times, including swapping the book’s Lord Caterham for Lady Caterham, played by Helena Bonham Carter.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Her position deviates from her religion as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which publicly opposes the ballot measure.

— Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of deviates

Verb

Researchers can model what happens if copper prices increase sharply or if a newer technology becomes commercially viable years from now.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
In this future, the scarce asset would be not the chatbot, but the device, operating system, and personal context through which the chatbot becomes useful.

— Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of becomes

Verb

Lialina’s practice as an artist and archivist revolves the uneven promises of permanence, loss, maintenance, and distribution that the internet, in its many formats and phases, represents.

— Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Repayment happens as customers settle their invoices, and the facility essentially revolves, with fresh invoices replacing those that have been paid off.

— Amit Singhania, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of revolves

Verb

As is often the case in both real life and the movies, this modern millennial lady ponders this very question all the time.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
Nacua, who expects to play against the 49ers as the NFL ponders a potential suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, returned to practice last week.

— Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of ponders

Verb

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
The answer depends entirely on the language contained in the condominium declaration and by-laws.

— Howard Dakoff, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of depends

Verb

The Roadster 2 reaches over 26 feet in the air through its cold-gas thrusters, spins once in mid-air, then uses the same tech to land safely.

— James Peckham, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Inspired by spider silk, the company genetically programs microorganisms to produce silk proteins through fermentation, then spins those proteins into biodegradable yarn.

— Kate Gammon, Time, 15 Oct. 2026