turn
gb/tˈɚn/ us/tˈɚn/
A1
English
~ 1100
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
Rotate around a point or axis
To move in a circle or make something move in a circle.
Usage pattern:
to turn [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'turn' with 'spin'; 'spin' is faster and continuous, while 'turn' can be slower or partial.
Synonyms
rotate (More formal and technical; often used in scientific contexts.)
Antonyms
stay still (Means not moving or rotating at all.)
Collocations
turn the wheel
|turn left
|turn the page
|turn a knob
Themes
daily life
|movement
|core_vocabulary
|science
Examples
- She turned the key in the lock.
- The earth turns on its axis.
- Turn the handle to open the door.
- He turned his head to look at her.
Learner examples
- Turn the chair to face me.
- Please turn the page.
- The car turned left.
- I turn my head to see you.
Verb
A1
action
2
Change direction or course
To go in a different direction.
Usage pattern:
to turn [left/right/around]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say 'make a turn' when giving simple directions; 'turn' alone is usually enough.
Synonyms
veer (Implies a more sudden or uncontrolled change of direction.)
Antonyms
continue straight (Means to keep going without changing direction.)
Collocations
turn right
|turn left
|turn around
Themes
travel
|movement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Turn left at the traffic lights.
- The road turns sharply after the bridge.
- She turned around to see who called her.
Learner examples
- Turn right at the school.
- The bus turns here.
- He turns around to wave.
Verb
A2
action
3
Change into a different state
To become different, or make something different.
Usage pattern:
to turn [adjective/noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'turn' with 'become'; 'turn' is often used for more sudden or noticeable changes.
Synonyms
become ('Become' is more formal and general; 'turn' is often used for sudden or visible changes.)
Antonyms
remain (Means staying in the same state without change.)
Collocations
turn red
|turn cold
|turn into
Themes
change
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The leaves turn yellow in autumn.
- His face turned pale when he heard the news.
- Milk turns sour if left out too long.
Learner examples
- The sky turns dark at night.
- Water turns into ice when it is cold.
- Her face turns red when she runs.
Noun
A2
entity
4
Chance to act in order
Your time to do something when people take turns.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'turn' with 'round'; 'round' is more common in British English for games.
Synonyms
chance ('Chance' is broader and not necessarily sequential.)
Antonyms
interruption (Breaking the sequence so someone doesn't get their chance.)
Collocations
take turns
|your turn
|wait your turn
Themes
games
|social interaction
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- It's your turn to roll the dice.
- We take turns cooking dinner.
- Please wait your turn in line.
Learner examples
- It is my turn now.
- We take turns to speak.
- She waits for her turn.
Noun
B1
event
5
Change in direction or state
A move to go in another way, or a change in something.
Synonyms
bend ('Bend' usually refers to physical curves; 'turn' can be physical or abstract.)
Antonyms
straight path (A route without changes in direction.)
Collocations
sharp turn
|wrong turn
|take a turn
Themes
travel
|change
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The car made a sudden turn to avoid the dog.
- Take the next turn on your left.
- There was an unexpected turn in the conversation.
Learner examples
- The road has many turns.
- Take the first turn on the right.
- The talk took a happy turn.
Grammar
Dictionary form
turn
IPA
GB/tˈɚn/
US/tˈɚn/
Syllables & stress
turn (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (turn)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: turn
- Plural: turns
Verb
- Base: turn
- 3rd Person Singular: turns
- Present Participle: turning
- Past: turned
Word family
Expressions
take turns
1/tˈeɪk tˈɚnz/
fixed phrase
Alternate doing something with others
When people do something one after another, not at the same time.
Examples
- We take turns driving on long trips.
- The children took turns using the swing.
turn on
1/tˈɚn ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Switch on a device or system
To start a machine, light, or device working.
Examples
- Please turn on the TV.
- He turned on the light when it got dark.
turn up
1/tˈɚn ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Increase level of device output
To make sound, heat, etc. stronger from a machine or device.
Examples
- Can you turn up the music?
- He turned up the heat because it was cold.
turn down
1/tˈɚn dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Lower level of device output / refuse offer
To make sound, heat, etc. less strong from a machine OR to say no to an offer.
Examples
- I had to turn down their invitation.
- Please turn down the volume.
- She turned down the job offer.
- She turned down his invitation.
turn off
1/tˈɚn ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
Switch off a device or system
To stop a machine, light, or device from working.
Examples
- Please turn off the lights when you leave.
- Turn off the oven before leaving.
- He turned off the engine before getting out.
- She turned off her phone during the meeting.