turn away

verb

turned away; turning away; turns away

transitive verb

1

a

: to refuse admittance or acceptance to

b

: to send away : reject, dismiss

c

: repel

2

: deflect, avert

intransitive verb

: to start to go away : depart

Synonyms

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

Examples of turn away in a Sentence

using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid

Recent Examples on the Web

My press pass, however, can’t get her into the restricted zone, even for press photos, so we’re turned away. —Francine Kiefer, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jan. 2025

But the school board urged the Supreme Court to turn away the case. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 17 Jan. 2025

After allowing some people to bypass the barricades with a police escort last week, residents have been turned away at multiple checkpoints on Sunset and San Vicente boulevards leading into the Palisades this week. —Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025

California Developers Want to 'Turbocharge' Building After LA Fires Gavin Newsom Cracks Down on Predatory Wildfire Investors There have already been reports of local families turning away from enormous rent hikes. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids Definition

turn away

verb

: to refuse to let in : send away

all the seats were sold and a large crowd had to be turned away