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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid
Recent Examples on the Web And hoping that a quarter turn away, there was still a bite of chicken. 
Kevin Fisher-paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Sep. 2022 Labor shortages and strained resources have also put upward pressure on prices, as the turn away from China has driven demand elsewhere. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2022 Warhol’s embrace of unorthodox techniques and emerging technologies within the art world mirrored the band’s turn away from traditional rock-and-roll frameworks of the 1970s. Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 After speaking with the passerby, the officers did a u-turn away from the crash, which had just occurred further down Main Street when the SUV ran a red light and plowed into two other cars. Alexander Thompson, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 Come winter, the virus could take an unexpected turn away from the Omicron branch of the evolutionary tree. Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 4 July 2022 Can baseball afford not to take such chances as young fans continue to turn away from the game in droves? Joe Noga, cleveland, 31 Jan. 2022 Written by her fave collaborator and fellow Australian John Farrar, this deceptively simple ballad cemented Newton-John's turn away from country and toward soft rock, hitting number one in March of '75. Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 11 Aug. 2022 As soon as both officers exit the car, the video shows Adams turn away from them and run. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 20 July 2022 See More
Kevin Fisher-paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Sep. 2022 Labor shortages and strained resources have also put upward pressure on prices, as the turn away from China has driven demand elsewhere. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2022 Warhol’s embrace of unorthodox techniques and emerging technologies within the art world mirrored the band’s turn away from traditional rock-and-roll frameworks of the 1970s. Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2022 After speaking with the passerby, the officers did a u-turn away from the crash, which had just occurred further down Main Street when the SUV ran a red light and plowed into two other cars. Alexander Thompson, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 Come winter, the virus could take an unexpected turn away from the Omicron branch of the evolutionary tree. Benjamin Mueller, New York Times, 4 July 2022 Can baseball afford not to take such chances as young fans continue to turn away from the game in droves? Joe Noga, cleveland, 31 Jan. 2022 Written by her fave collaborator and fellow Australian John Farrar, this deceptively simple ballad cemented Newton-John's turn away from country and toward soft rock, hitting number one in March of '75. Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 11 Aug. 2022 As soon as both officers exit the car, the video shows Adams turn away from them and run. Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 20 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2
turn away
verb
as in to turn back
to drive back using tree branches, the campers were able to turn away the charging fox, which was apparently rabid Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- turn back
- beat off
- repulse
- repel
- resist
- stave off
- hold off
- stand off
- fend (off)
- fight
- rebut
- oppose
- deflect
- withstand
- ward (off)
- defy
- rebuff
- spurn
- snub
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- embrace
- welcome
- hail