as in to repel
to drive back
a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turn back
Trains coming from downtown San Francisco were turned back at the 24th Street Mission and Montgomery Street stations.
—
Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Startling video of the attack obtained by the Daily News shows one of the crooks turning back, after rifling through the cop’s pockets as the victim lay helplessly on the ground, and stomping on his head.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
The play, prompted by a reference to destroyed evidence in an arson investigation, was quickly turned back by the judge, who has kept a tight grip on the headline-grabbing trial.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 28 May 2025
The two occupants of the jet ski stopped and started to turn back, but then sped away after apparently realizing Moore was injured.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn back
Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Startling video of the attack obtained by the Daily News shows one of the crooks turning back, after rifling through the cop’s pockets as the victim lay helplessly on the ground, and stomping on his head.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
The play, prompted by a reference to destroyed evidence in an arson investigation, was quickly turned back by the judge, who has kept a tight grip on the headline-grabbing trial.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 28 May 2025
The two occupants of the jet ski stopped and started to turn back, but then sped away after apparently realizing Moore was injured.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for turn back
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turn back
Verb
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Some companion plants are either trap plants, which will distract the bugs, or plants that will repel them with their scent.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
4 June 2025
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Strikes were also repelled in the Amur region in Russia's Far East and in the western regions of Ivanovo and Ryazan, the ministry said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 June 2025
Verb
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This is especially true for decentralized finance (DeFi), which, by its nature, resists traditional regulatory models.—
Irina Heaver,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Serkis, of course, can’t resist playing a couple of parts himself and takes on the affable Rooster and Farmer Jones.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The Panthers survived an Aleksander Barkov delay of game penalty and McDavid slaloming through tired penalty killers only to be turned away by Bobrovsky’s stomach snow angel.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
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Thurman said she was turned away twice from a local emergency room, without treatment.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Other responses ranged from snacking on construction materials to being physically repulsed by a customer's name at work.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
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But throughout the series, he became increasingly repulsed by these actions, which included enslaving thousands of women.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
27 May 2025
Verb
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So this bill could help stave off a potential flood of suits.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2025
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There is no vaccine for humans to stave off a West Nile virus infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but most people who are infected do not experience symptoms.—
Ethan Wolin,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turn back.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20back. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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