1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in to ponder
to give serious and careful thought to turned the question every which way but could find no answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
1
as in walk
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure would you care to take a turn around the garden?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance one good turn deserves another
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
George Solomon, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026 Career coaches often tell college students to start looking for jobs months before turning the tassel. —Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
Asher Redd, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 Drivers could testify as to their ability to move around buses whose stops are in the driving lane, stalled cars and vehicles making left turns. —Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Verb
Bertman, who turns 88 on May 23, has on his resume before this latest honor, prime spots in the College Baseball Hall of Fame, Louisiana State University Hall of Fame, state of Louisiana Hall of Fame, University of Miami Hall of Fame and Miami Beach High School Hall of Fame. —George Solomon, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026 Career coaches often tell college students to start looking for jobs months before turning the tassel. —Jake Angelo, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
The turns are engineered to allow drivers to maintain 200 miles per hour without losing traction. —Asher Redd, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 Drivers could testify as to their ability to move around buses whose stops are in the driving lane, stalled cars and vehicles making left turns. —Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn
Verb
-
Rina and Serasi will rotate time with the adult tigers, and Suki will lead the way when the cubs head outside.— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
-
Astrobotic on Thursday announced the successful hot fire testing of its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The game swung on these knife-edge moments, but the actual performance levels were similar from both teams.— Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
-
But as the ball swung around the perimeter, opportunities arose for the likes of Dosunmu and McDaniels to crack the paint off the bounce.— Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There’s no reason to believe the Hawks will deviate from a plan yielding success in Game 1.— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
-
That's because fridge doors are more likely to deviate from ideal refrigerator temperatures than the interior of the fridge.— Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Players and coaches have become maddeningly mealy-mouthed, striving to avoid upsetting agents, sponsors, owners, fans, thin-skinned politicians, and whoever else might object.— Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
-
Far too often this season, the six-time All-Star who regards himself as the best shooting big man in NBA history has become an afterthought in a Knicks offense that’s run largely through Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.— Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The 750-foot tower offers panoramic city views from the observation deck, plus a revolving restaurant inside.— Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
-
But for her own set, Raye is the sun around which everything else revolves.— Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The medical drama's season 2 finale ended on a cliffhanger Thursday, April 16, with Wyle's character pondering a three-month sabbatical and a motorcycle ride across the country.— Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
-
The philosopher Biggie Smalls once pondered the nature of dangerously escalating rivalries.— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The expectation is that two new signings in that position will arrive, but the identities depend on the blend.— Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
-
The longer the strait remains closed, the deeper the energy crisis will cut, particularly across Asia, which depends heavily on Gulf oil exports.— Desiree Adib, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Similar to how spiders spin webs on Earth, such robots could effectively 3D-print structures in space.— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Apr. 2026
-
My biggest complaint is that while the main narrative does wrap up tidily, the story also spins forward in a way that demands a sequel (which Spufford is already working on).— John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/turn. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
