1
as in rotates
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
turned the doorknob as quietly as possible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in swings
to change the course or direction of (something)
the dog turned the stampeding flock of sheep around he turned his cart uphill
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
4
5
as in revolves
to move in circles around an axis or center
the wheels turned, but the car was hopelessly stuck and wasn't moving
Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in ponders
to give serious and careful thought to
turned the question every which way but could find no answer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
8
9
as in convinces
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge
he did his best to turn his new friends against his ex-wife
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in walks
a relaxed journey on foot for exercise or pleasure
would you care to take a turn around the garden?
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in services
an act of kind assistance
one good turn deserves another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tendencies
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
an adventurous turn of mind that led him toward more physical activities like biking and skateboarding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bends
something that curves or is curved
right after this turn in the road you'll find the antiques shop on the right
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in bouts
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder
a sudden turn of dizziness that may have been brought on by a change in her medication
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 turns
Shelby Stewart, Essence, 14 May 2026
The device turns virtually any liquid into a frosty drink within 20 to 30 minutes — with a couple of exceptions.
—Clint Davis, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Ahead, dermatologists share all the details about why your skin may become more reactive when the weather turns and what to do about it.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 May 2026
Most of the sun’s highest-energy light hits a leaf and instantly turns into useless heat.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
Route 66, or the Mother Road as John Steinbeck called it in The Grapes of Wrath, turns 100 this year.
—Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 14 May 2026
The journey turns into a reckoning between father and daughter in their former homeland.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
The SteamTech Elite also has important safety features, including an auto-shutoff that turns the iron off after eight minutes of inactivity (a chime alerts you when this happens).
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Greenlaw, however, has appeared in only 10 games over the last two seasons and turns 29 later this month.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Andrew Joseph, STAT, 20 May 2026
Spears' set has loved on the roster for 290 turns.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Peter Dundas and Paul Surridge subsequently took turns serving as creative director.
—Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 20 May 2026
On May 14, the robots had surpassed 30 hours of collective work, with individual robots taking turns swapping in and out.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026
The city also plans to add paint and posts at the northeast and southwest corners of the intersection to narrow the roadway, reduce pedestrian crossing distances and slow right turns.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 20 May 2026
As speakers took turns sharing stories, people openly mourned.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
Read This The art world may be focused on New York this week, after a Venice vernissage by turns celebratory and combustible, but the New York Times has its eye further east.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 13 May 2026
The season ushers in a landmark summer as Houseguests enter the iconic Big Brother house with unexpected moments and a season packed with twists and turns.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Verb
Another turns downtown into Taste of Black Harrisburg, with food vendors, live mural painting, music, comedy, and chef demonstrations taking over the block.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 14 May 2026
The device turns virtually any liquid into a frosty drink within 20 to 30 minutes — with a couple of exceptions.
—Clint Davis, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Ahead, dermatologists share all the details about why your skin may become more reactive when the weather turns and what to do about it.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 May 2026
Most of the sun’s highest-energy light hits a leaf and instantly turns into useless heat.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
Route 66, or the Mother Road as John Steinbeck called it in The Grapes of Wrath, turns 100 this year.
—Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 14 May 2026
The journey turns into a reckoning between father and daughter in their former homeland.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
The SteamTech Elite also has important safety features, including an auto-shutoff that turns the iron off after eight minutes of inactivity (a chime alerts you when this happens).
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 May 2026
Greenlaw, however, has appeared in only 10 games over the last two seasons and turns 29 later this month.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Noun
When a reporter asked about the statement, four different WHO officials, including the director-general, took turns chiming in.
—Andrew Joseph, STAT, 20 May 2026
Spears' set has loved on the roster for 290 turns.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Peter Dundas and Paul Surridge subsequently took turns serving as creative director.
—Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 20 May 2026
On May 14, the robots had surpassed 30 hours of collective work, with individual robots taking turns swapping in and out.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 May 2026
The city also plans to add paint and posts at the northeast and southwest corners of the intersection to narrow the roadway, reduce pedestrian crossing distances and slow right turns.
—Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 20 May 2026
As speakers took turns sharing stories, people openly mourned.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
Read This The art world may be focused on New York this week, after a Venice vernissage by turns celebratory and combustible, but the New York Times has its eye further east.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 13 May 2026
The season ushers in a landmark summer as Houseguests enter the iconic Big Brother house with unexpected moments and a season packed with twists and turns.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns
Verb
-
The bookmobile rotates its collection more often because of its small space.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
To top it off, the titanium movement (Caliber GP09400-1273) rotates once every minute.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
Pitchers also know Kwan almost never swings at the first pitch.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
However, the uptick in flights observed off the Cuban coast is new and deviates from where these aircraft have historically been deployed.—
Avery Schmitz,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
-
Piker’s endorsement of Mills deviates from other progressives who have thrown their support behind Platner.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If Raskin becomes the committee’s chairman, many of those investigative letters will become subpoenas.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
While the killing dealt one of the biggest blows to ISIS’s global network in years, disrupting operations in northeastern Nigeria, the terror group's top leader, Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, remains at large as Africa becomes the movement's global epicenter.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
That happens simply because Earth revolves, but the planets also move across the sky, further complicating things.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
-
The moving drama revolves on a young boy, the film’s titular character, who escapes the bombing of his southern Iranian village in which his family is killed.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
As coach John Hynes ponders his Game 1 starter, the recent numbers will show that Wallstedt has allowed a total of four goals in his final two regular-season starts, while veteran Filip Gustavsson has been touched for 10 in the same span.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 2026
-
While Heinrich ponders the misfiring neurons in the brain of a mass shooter, Jack’s pursuit of Mink—a character whose skin color and ambiguous ethnicity Jack remarks on repeatedly—leads him directly into the urban teeth of the War on Drugs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Netanyahu, whose coalition government depends on support from Ben-Gvir’s far-right Jewish Power party, partially distanced himself from the incident.—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
20 May 2026
-
That the evolution of culture depends on who gets to walk through the door in the first place and what can be made in the future.—
Lilyanna D'Amato,
ARTnews.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Even the prospect of rocketing so many satellites to circle the Earth, and possibly endangering other spacecraft, could trigger a political tornado that spins across the globe.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
The arrests of nine people on the bridge — along with two rally organizers a couple days earlier — capped a two-month operation to track down dirt bike and ATV riders suspected of traveling in packs for sideshows and spins across the Bay Area, said Oakland police Chief Jim Beere.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turns. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
