as in to assault
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
-
Throw in the stakes — the lure of golf immortality (or at the very least, a healthy paycheck for making the cut) for the pros and the walk of a lifetime for amateurs like dentist turned qualifier Matt Vogt — and yeah, things can drag on a bit.—
Will Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2025 -
And after Trump’s attempts to humiliate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office, the lure of the White House is waning.—
Stephen Collinson,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
Noun
-
The temptation to check messages, see what the latest notification is, etc. could pull audience members away from the live speaker.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
-
The Trump administration must resist the temptation to focus on showy public-facing policies, such as unilateral drone strikes, which would practically force Sheinbaum to reduce cooperation in defense of Mexican sovereignty.—
WILL FREEMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
But even if your childhood didn’t include visits to these oceanfront attractions, visiting them now feels akin to time travel, inspiring phone-free fun and family memories.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
7 June 2025
-
The beloved attraction, which combines a 3D movie, real special effects and iconic character animatronics was the last project the late Jim Henson worked on himself before his death.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
While geothermal energy loses out in the current package, some Republicans, including U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have called for the power source’s tax incentives to remain.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
13 June 2025
-
This structure leaves little incentive for buyers locked into contracts to make any moves until the contract ends.—
Greg Robinson,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
As the sketch went on, Alby delivered menus and mimosas alongside increasingly lewd double entendres and come-ons, all Southern charm and jutting hips.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2025
-
Fully in his alpha flirt mode, Harlow starts out making eyes at Doja from across the room, trying to rope her in with some subtle come-ons.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That should matter to leaders, because real connection drives motivation, creativity, and well-being.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
But the vice president’s remarks also underscore the political motivations behind Saturday’s action.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Turn (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turn%20%28on%29. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share