turn back

verb

turned back; turning back; turns back

intransitive verb

1

a

: to go in the reverse direction

b

: to stop going forward

2

: to refer to an earlier time or place

transitive verb

1

: to drive back or away

2

: to stop the advance of

3

: to fold back

4

: give back, return

Phrases

turn back the clock

: to revert to or remind of a condition existing in the past

Synonyms

• beat off
• fend (off)
• rebut
• repel
• repulse
• stave off
• turn away

Examples of turn back in a Sentence

a cavalry charge that was turned back by withering fire

Recent Examples on the Web

Areas of Maricopa County like Chandler and Gilbert that swung toward President Joe Biden in 2020 turned back red in the 2024 election. —Amanda Luberto, The Arizona Republic, 20 Nov. 2024

Lifting his hands high above his head for all to see, the Italian gave his striker an enthusiastic round of applause before turning back towards his bench. —Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 20 Nov. 2024

Another source of frustration for those developing analog AI has been the need to digitize the result of the multiply and accumulate process in order to deliver it to the next layer of the neural network where it must then be turned back into an analog voltage signal. —IEEE Spectrum, 19 Nov. 2024

Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves McConaughey are turning back time to 2003! —Bailey Richards, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

turn back

verb

1

: to go in the reverse direction : return

turned back for home

2

: to stop the advance of : check

turned back the enemy