How to Use turn back in a Sentence

turn back

verb
  • Gray stood on the mound as Bell turned back to the dugout.
    — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, 4 July 2019
  • This one turns back the clock to the Gamecocks’ 1980s look.
    — Paul Lukas, SI.com, 29 Aug. 2019
  • Some of the team broke under the weight of it all and turned back.
    — Cassidy Randall, Rolling Stone, 2 Mar. 2025
  • The three groups took their case to the appeals court but were turned back.
    — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024
  • At the end, turn back ½-inch of ribbon to overlap the start of the ribbon and pin.
    — Sonja Carmon, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2021
  • But as a bonus for the Panthers, Marchand has turned back the clock.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 17 June 2025
  • Votto, the 37-year-old who continues to turn back the clock, was at the top of the list.
    — Bobby Nightengale, The Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2021
  • There is no stopping this slow ebbing, no way to turn back the clock.
    — Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2021
  • Once the guesser is clear to turn back around, let the game begin!
    — Michella Oré, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2020
  • Once on board, and strapped in, there is no turning back.
    — Maria Shine Stewart, cleveland, 17 Feb. 2020
  • Two other boats were crossing the bar at the same time and turned back to help.
    — oregonlive.com, 5 July 2019
  • In one snap, Vergara turned back to hold up the peace sign and smile for the camera.
    — Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 22 Aug. 2023
  • Kobayashi’s phone’s was last turned on at LAX on Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. and hasn’t been turned back on since.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
  • That turns back the clock on how Hamilton used to run teams into the ground.
    — Richard Obert, azcentral, 24 Aug. 2019
  • The plane turned back to the runway, but struck approach lights about 1,000 feet from the end of the runway.
    — Nicholas Rondinone, courant.com, 7 Oct. 2019
  • Advertisement Michalek turned back to the man in the yarmulke.
    — Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2023
  • Hendricks turned back the clock on the Padres after the first inning.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025
  • The trick will be to see whether these insights can be turned back against the invaders.
    — Quanta Magazine, 30 May 2019
  • Nix knows that the acclaim could turn back into scorn as the leaves start to brown.
    — Nubyjas Wilborn | Nwilborn@al.com, al, 31 Oct. 2021
  • Henry turns back to him, his eyes silver in the wash of the streetlight.
    — Town & Country, 12 Aug. 2023
  • Crew members tried to get to the lower decks but were turned back by flames.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2023
  • As such, Ohio State may not turn back to Teague for a heavy workload.
    — Nathan Baird, cleveland, 11 Jan. 2021
  • Cruz turned back O’Rourke with the help of Trump, his bitter rival in 2016.
    — Will Weissert, The Seattle Times, 7 Nov. 2018
  • Yashica's turned back time to get inspiration for its latest camera, the Tank.
    — New Atlas, 15 Mar. 2026
  • And oil wells and refineries can’t be turned back on overnight.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Hearing the Creature screaming his name, Victor turns back.
    — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The Buffaloes turned back to Salter, but he was benched again in the loss to Arizona.
    — David Ubben, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Each woman in her family is born with a silver ticket, the gift to turn back time just once.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
  • But the tides have turned back in Mar’s favor.
    — Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Left with few other options, India is now turning back to Russian oil.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'turn back.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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