turn back
Idioms-
Reverse one's direction, as in We had to turn back earlier than expected . [First half of 1500s]
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Drive someone back or away, as in They turned back anyone who didn't have an invitation , or Our forces soon turned back the enemy . [First half of 1500s]
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Fold down, as in Turn back the page you're on to keep your place in the magazine . [Second half of 1800s] Also see turn one's back on .
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.
By forcing ships to turn back from the narrow Bab El Mandeb strait, they have threatened to choke off the main maritime route from Europe to Asia.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
"I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!"
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
There was no warning from the Iranian navy to the ships on radio or telling them to turn back, according to the seafarers in the flotilla.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Iranian authorities ordered at least three oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz to turn back, and two additional ships appeared to reverse course as well, maritime intelligence company Windward said Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
There was no way to get around the beast, but room to turn back.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
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.
