as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against
it is dangerous to keep tigers as house pets, as they often turn on their masters without warning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in thrilling
to cause a pleasurable stimulation of the feelings
unsurprisingly, the fanboys were turned on by the movie's amazing special effects and slam-bang plot
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in triggering
to cause to function
would you turn on the TV?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turning (on)
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
30 June 2026
Sokolowski also recommends wearing rubber or nitrile gloves to prevent skin irritation, and opening windows or turning on a kitchen exhaust fan before, during, and for a bit after cleaning.
—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
17 June 2026
Her stomach was already turning on her.
—
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.
—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
The moose charged the woman and kicked her several times before turning on the dogs.
—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
But the first of those hits was Andujar turning on a splitter and sending it into the seats beyond left field in the first inning.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2026
Taylor caught a ball on a slant route and showed his burst of speed, turning on the afterburners to race to the end zone.
—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Chavez and his aides repeatedly claimed that their critics are Communist or grower sympathizers who infiltrated the UFW before turning on it.
—
Marcos Breton,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
Letting the temperature rise slightly during the day means the system isn't turning on and off rapidly all afternoon.
—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
30 June 2026
Sokolowski also recommends wearing rubber or nitrile gloves to prevent skin irritation, and opening windows or turning on a kitchen exhaust fan before, during, and for a bit after cleaning.
—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
17 June 2026
Her stomach was already turning on her.
—
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Prioritize visibility Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights.
—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
The moose charged the woman and kicked her several times before turning on the dogs.
—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
But the first of those hits was Andujar turning on a splitter and sending it into the seats beyond left field in the first inning.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 May 2026
Taylor caught a ball on a slant route and showed his burst of speed, turning on the afterburners to race to the end zone.
—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Chavez and his aides repeatedly claimed that their critics are Communist or grower sympathizers who infiltrated the UFW before turning on it.
—
Marcos Breton,
Sacbee.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning (on)
Verb
-
He is accused of attacking a 27-year-old man with a beer mug inside the Hula Bar on Saturday night.
-
Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
Verb
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The knockout round of 32 has been thrilling so far, and the high drama comes to Atlanta today.
-
The spring 2027 menswear collections this month, in Milan and Paris, served up plenty of thrilling new styling propositions.
Verb
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Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s central and coastal regions on Wednesday just 39 seconds apart, triggering scenes of panic in Caracas and other cities as preliminary reports of structural damage and injuries began to emerge.
-
Powell said China has such operations lined up and planned well in advance and waits for such triggering events.
Verb
-
In 2017 and 2018, Werhan was arrested on separate occasions in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for allegedly assaulting his father and girlfriend, according to the warrant affidavit.
-
Weinstein was originally convicted of assaulting both Mann and Haley in 2020, but that verdict was overturned on a 4-3 vote by the state’s highest court in 2024.
Verb
-
Major Wilson, 17, has been around horses most of his life and now spends much of his time helping younger riders get ready, showing them how to saddle their horses without exciting them.
-
For Harrington and her husband Dante, the thought of triplets was shocking but exciting all the same.
Verb
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But in the kitchen, things go awry again when some sauce boils over onto a burner, activating a safety suppression feature that automatically shuts down the appliance for a half-hour.
-
More time is devoted to setting up the dramatic situation than to activating it.
Verb
-
Want to stop raiding the fridge every night before bed?
-
While our dreams of raiding Tay Tay’s closet will likely never come true, that won’t stop of from borrowing her style and shopping Swift’s favorite designer brands.
Verb
-
This electrifying new production celebrates the women who dared to be bold, courageous, and wholly themselves—and in doing so, became truly iconic.
-
Alex Freeman emerged as a breakout star of this young World Cup, scoring an electrifying goal in America’s big win over Australia last week.
Cite this Entry
“Turning (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20%28on%29. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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