turn away

as in to repel
to drive back using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid

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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 away Read More: How Trump's Tariffs Could Affect U.S. Consumers In the context of weakening unions, more unstable job prospects, and easier access to higher education, workers in New Bedford began to turn away from factory labor. Made By History, Time, 21 Apr. 2025 Some Republicans are turning away from in-person town halls Some Republicans have turned to virtual town halls — or paused them altogether — as their constituents grow increasingly frustrated with the Trump administration's actions and politicians' responses. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025 As for Giglio, the threat of pirate raids caused its inhabitants to turn away from the sea for centuries, taking refuge in the fortified town high in the island’s center. Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2025 Mass layoffs begin at HHS, some employees turned away after showing up to work Across the CDC, FDA and the National Institute of Health, three of the main public health arms of HHS, there have not been significant changes to the cuts that hit around 10,000 employees last week. Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for turn away
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn away
Verb
  • Results suggested this impact was due to the plants creating a physical barrier that disrupted the movement of cucumber beetles, rather than any effects of repelling them or attracting beneficial insects.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
  • In a press release, the Navy touted the Stockdale's role in helping repel multiple Houthi attacks during transits of the Bab el-Mandeb straight and escort operations of U.S.-flagged vessels in the Gulf of Aden.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • While a mattress can't turn back time, a better mattress can lead to a lot of things: better sleep!
    Nena Farrell, Wired News, 26 Apr. 2025
  • But for one night, Leonard turned back the clock and secured the win for his team at a time when their backs were against the wall.
    Mikai Bruce, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The blades are crafted from alloy steel that maintains its sharpness over time and resists rust.
    Maggie Horton, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • On Tuesday, Japanese media reported that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida received a letter from Chinese No. 2 Premier Li Qiang, urging him to join Beijing in resisting protectionism.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Still, assuming that Harvard goes ahead with a legal battle to repulse the Administration’s assault, its actions could have important ramifications not just for other universities but also for broader efforts to resist Trump’s encroachments.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • After a disastrous trip to Mexico where Irina appeared repulsed by everything Zack did, the couple split and Zack went crawling back to Bliss.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 1 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In a March 2025 review in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, researchers reported how studies have shown that exercise can stave off dementia by interrupting inflammatory cell death from necroptosis.
    Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Just be sure to pair this product with a rich moisturizer to help stave off dryness.
    Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Turn away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20away. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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