as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against
it is dangerous to keep tigers as house pets, as they often turn on their masters without warning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lure
something that persuades one to perform an action for pleasure or gain
knew the offer of free pizza would be a major turn-on to the pair of teenagers she had just asked to help her move
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to thrill
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings
unsurprisingly, the fanboys were turned on by the movie's amazing special effects and slam-bang plot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to trigger
to cause to function
would you turn on the TV?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn (on)
Noun
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The fragrant flowers in spring and summer lure pollinators like bees and butterflies.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026 -
This past year also was elevated by the success that the league’s TV partners had in harnessing the lure of live game coverage to drive larger corporate imperatives — namely, building up the streaming platforms that represent the future for the parent companies of NBC, CBS, ESPN/ABC and Fox.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Royal blue, oxblood, and gold paint illuminated the creation of Adam and the temptation of Eve—the couple who give the place its name, the Crypt of the Original Sin—along with various apostles and archangels.—
Adam Erace,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
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In environments where young people have few chances to recover from mistakes, those mistakes can be much more damaging, and the temptations can feel more overwhelming.—
Mark Mitchell,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The front steps of the iconic Haunted Mansion attraction at the park will be available as a location for visitors to tie the knot, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons said in a Wednesday news release.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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While Bad Bunny's halftime show is expected to be the marquee attraction, dozens of performances across San Francisco and the South Bay are set to draw music lovers in the days leading up to kickoff.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This isn’t shaping up as one of those years with a McDavid-level or even Bedard-level prospect waiting with the first pick, but in a way that’s even more incentive to tank for dead last, assuring no worse than a top-three pick in a year where that still might get you the best player.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Compared someone making monetary demands, a kidnapper looking to make a statement can be more dangerous because there is less incentive to keep the person alive.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Gobel’s frenetic Papo poses and spins tales to cover up his fear and lack of confidence, and Anthony, with a thick Brooklyn accent and cringey come-ons, sees in Diane the music of love that’s been missing from his life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Nov. 2025
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Guests in attendance for this lavish soirée include George’s fellow intellectuals, a large number of dapper hedonists, the handsome horndog Judge Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock) — whose wolf-whistle come-ons are neither fully rebuffed nor reciprocated by Hedda — and Thea (Imogen Poots, wasted).—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In any case, despite the motivations behind it the mutiny in the studio turned into a party.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
13 Feb. 2026
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While seeking a limerent object is a good case study in unconscious motivation, perhaps the best modern example of this phenomenon in practice is the cell phone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Turn (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20%28on%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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