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• Turn the other cheek
  Turn the other cheek

  An adaptation of a command of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”; but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
• turn the other cheek
  turn the other cheek

  Respond meekly or mildly to insult or injury without retaliating. For example, There's no point in arguing with that unreasonable supervisor; just turn the other cheek. This expression comes from the New Testament, in which Jesus tells his followers to love their enemies and offer their other cheek to those who have struck one cheek (Luke 6:29).

Turn the other cheek

Cultural  

1. An adaptation of a command of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”; but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

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turn the other cheek Idioms  

1. Respond meekly or mildly to insult or injury without retaliating. For example, There's no point in arguing with that unreasonable supervisor; just turn the other cheek. This expression comes from the New Testament, in which Jesus tells his followers to love their enemies and offer their other cheek to those who have struck one cheek (Luke 6:29).

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To “turn the other cheek” is thus to accept injuries and not to seek revenge.

Example Sentences

Daphne and Eddie magnanimously turn the other cheek and then go back to lavishing one another with murmured compliments.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

The British foreign secretary, David Cameron, acknowledged just before meeting with the prime minister that Israel was unlikely to heed pleas to turn the other cheek.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2024

“It’s a constant thing,” said Gude, who said that he instructs protesters to turn the other cheek.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2024

We understand how difficult it is for the faithful to tolerate and turn the other cheek.

From Washington Post • Feb. 12, 2023

Though he was a preacher’s son, it was at school where he learned to turn the other cheek.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck