turn away
Britishverb
-
to move or cause to move in a different direction so as not to face something
one of the child turned away while the others hid
-
(tr) to refuse admittance or assistance to
dozens of people were turned away from the hostel
-
Send away, dismiss, as in They ran short and had to turn away many customers . [Late 1500s]
-
Repel, as in The high prices turned away prospective buyers .
-
Avert, deflect, as in She managed to turn away all criticism . [Late 1300s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Children were dying, and as the father of two young girls, I couldn’t comprehend why he would turn away from science.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
Legitimately good doctors are deluged with referrals and turn away new patients.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
Rufus Sewell, “The Diplomat” “It’s hard to look at Walter Goggins’ noseless ‘Fallout’ character, the Ghoul, without retching, but his compelling performance also makes it hard to turn away.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
It marked a sharp turn away from the US to China, and a particularly unwelcome one for American car firms, which have long dominated the Canadian market.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
I laugh but then quickly turn away from him.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
