as in attacking
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
1
as in thrilling
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 triggering
to cause to function
would you turn on the TV?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 turning (on)
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
Taylor caught a ball on a slant route and showed his burst of speed, turning on the afterburners to race to the end zone.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Kirkwood Southern Style Crispy Fried Chicken Perhaps you, like me, avoid turning on the oven at all costs as soon as the temperature outside hits 85 degrees.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Other New Jersey farmers might be burning smudge pots in their orchards, turning on windmills, or running sprinklers.
—Vanessa Murdock, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Chavez and his aides repeatedly claimed that their critics are Communist or grower sympathizers who infiltrated the UFW before turning on it.
—Marcos Breton, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026
His comments caused a stir Wednesday from pro-Israel advocates who felt Newsom was turning on their interests.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
His naked self-dealing, weaponizing the Justice Department against his political foes, turning on our allies, the casino-fication of the White House — none of it bodes well for the future of our democracy, setting precedents that other presidents on both sides of the aisle could very well continue.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
But the first of those hits was Andujar turning on a splitter and sending it into the seats beyond left field in the first inning.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
Taylor caught a ball on a slant route and showed his burst of speed, turning on the afterburners to race to the end zone.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
Kirkwood Southern Style Crispy Fried Chicken Perhaps you, like me, avoid turning on the oven at all costs as soon as the temperature outside hits 85 degrees.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Other New Jersey farmers might be burning smudge pots in their orchards, turning on windmills, or running sprinklers.
—Vanessa Murdock, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Chavez and his aides repeatedly claimed that their critics are Communist or grower sympathizers who infiltrated the UFW before turning on it.
—Marcos Breton, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026
His comments caused a stir Wednesday from pro-Israel advocates who felt Newsom was turning on their interests.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
His naked self-dealing, weaponizing the Justice Department against his political foes, turning on our allies, the casino-fication of the White House — none of it bodes well for the future of our democracy, setting precedents that other presidents on both sides of the aisle could very well continue.
—S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning (on)
Verb
-
Both sides accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
-
So when attacking midfielder Nick Moon carried the ball down the left wing in the eighth minute, AC Boise bodies began rushing into the box.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
While Hokit’s heel act can wear thin, his thrilling victory at UFC 327 won the respect of hardcore fans.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
Organized by the National Salute to America's Heroes, the annual Memorial Day tribute also featured thrilling parachute demonstrations and a military static display village.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
However, in April 2025, the government broke the news that a license would be required for exports of Nvidia's H20 products in the China market, triggering an automatic adjustment to the goals.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
-
Now the Iran war has heaped fresh pressure on those businesses, choking critical shipping lanes, triggering a historic energy shock, and threatening to crimp global demand for Chinese goods across the board.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
They are accused of using several ruses to force their way into people’s homes, assaulting unsuspecting residents and holding them hostage for their own money, and demanding access to their crypto accounts.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
Cole Allen, who was shackled and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, pleaded not guilty to attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, transporting a firearm across state lines and assaulting a federal officer with a deadly weapon.—
Peter D'Abrosca , Jake Gibson,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Major Wilson, 17, has been around horses most of his life and now spends much of his time helping younger riders get ready, showing them how to saddle their horses without exciting them.—
Jhair Romero,
Houston Chronicle,
26 Feb. 2026
-
For Harrington and her husband Dante, the thought of triplets was shocking but exciting all the same.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Key Takeaways Meditating for 10 to 15 minutes a day can help lower blood pressure by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and relaxing blood vessels.—
Sukhman Rekhi,
Verywell Health,
21 May 2026
-
But for the brands activating in grocery aisles, sports bars, and digital feeds, that uncertainty is largely irrelevant.—
Phil Lempert,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Even as their work was winding down this session, federal agents looking for evidence of fraud were raiding autism and daycare centers in the state.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
Who knew that raiding the fridge and pantry could taste like a million bucks.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Chan is, indeed, a electrifying presence to behold onstage, a fact that no doubt played a major role in the search committee’s decision.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
-
Oregon State's student section is going to be electrifying if only for the addition of this 7-foot-1 sophomore from Latvia.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turning (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20%28on%29. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
