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Showing results for turn away. Search instead for turning+away.
Synonyms

turn away

British  

verb

  1. 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

  2. (tr) to refuse admittance or assistance to

    dozens of people were turned away from the hostel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

turn away Idioms  
  1. Send away, dismiss, as in They ran short and had to turn away many customers . [Late 1500s]

  2. Repel, as in The high prices turned away prospective buyers .

  3. 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.

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

But the merged company will now need all the cash flow it can muster to service a substantial debt load, so it is unlikely to fully turn away from the biggest payer in town.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026

Or maybe this just shows how thirsty we are for a chance to turn away from current events for a moment.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

So much so that he is having to turn away customers.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

“Normally I’m not one to bend the rules, but how can I turn away a child with such splendid taste in clothing? However unintentional.”

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston