turn on
Britishverb
-
(tr, adverb) to cause (something) to operate by turning a knob, etc
to turn on the light
-
(intr, preposition) to depend or hinge on
the success of the party turns on you
-
(preposition) to change or cause to change one's attitude so as to become hostile or to retaliate
the dog turned on the children
-
informal (tr, adverb) to produce (charm, tears, etc) suddenly or automatically
-
informal to interest (someone) in something
how to turn kids on to drama
-
slang (tr, adverb) to arouse emotionally or sexually
-
slang (intr, adverb) to take or become intoxicated by drugs
-
slang (tr, adverb) to introduce (someone) to drugs
noun
-
Cause to begin the operation, flow, or activity of, as in Turn on the lights, please , or Don't turn on the sprinkler yet . [First half of 1800s]
-
Begin to display, employ, or exude, as in He turned on the charm . [Late 1800s]
-
Also, . Take or cause to take a mind-altering drug, as in The boys were excited about turning on , or They tried to get her high , or I told them I wouldn't get on tonight . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]
-
Be or cause to become excited or interested, as in His mother was the first to turn him on to classical music . [c. 1900]
-
Be or become sexually aroused, as in He blushed when she asked him what turned him on . [Second half of 1900s]
-
Also, turn upon . Depend on, relate to, as in The entire plot turns on mistaken identity . This usage, first recorded in 1661, uses turn in the sense of “revolve on an axis or hinge.”
-
Also, turn upon . Attack, become hostile toward, as in Although normally friendly, the dog suddenly turned on everyone who came to the door . Also see turn against .
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.
“This is about Lilly’s ability as a U.S. company to turn on a dime to increase manufacturing,” said a former Novo employee and longtime industry strategist, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
“In the office, we actually get really bummed when we realize we’re having a conversation and we forgot to turn on Granola,” she says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Ultimately, the tech specialist said, its results would turn on the threshold set for evidence of fraud: “It’s up to the builder of the system to define the guidelines.”
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
Lamine Yamal: Has struggled to turn on the style at this World Cup but the 19-year-old came alive in the semi-final and won the penalty from which Spain scored.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
As soon as he got Abby settled on her bed, he would turn on the radio and listen to the ball game.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
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.
