turn back
Third Person
turns back
Present Participle
turning back
Past Tense
turned back
Past Participle
turned back
1
to return to a previous state or condition
- Despite her efforts to move forward, she couldn't shake off her doubts and found herself turning back to old habits.
- The peace talks seemed promising at first, but recent events have caused negotiations to turn back to hostility.
- The medication helped him improve temporarily, but soon he began to turn back to his previous condition.
2
to set something to a previous state or setting
- The technician had to turn back the thermostat because the room was too warm.
- I accidentally deleted some important files.Is there a way to turn back the changes and recover them?
- It's difficult to turn back the impact of technological advancements.
- Efforts to turn back climate change require global collaboration.
3
to go back along the same route one already covered
- The pilgrims turned back when they reached a restricted area.
- The cyclists had to turn back because of a mechanical failure.
- The pilgrims turned back when they reached a restricted area.
- The explorers decided to turn back after facing harsh weather conditions.
- The pilot decided to turn back because of engine trouble.
Synonyms:
4
to set something to a previous state or setting, especially regarding time or a particular condition
- The technician had to turn back the thermostat because the room was too warm.
- Can you please turn back the volume on the TV?It's too loud.
- I accidentally deleted some important files.Is there a way to turn back the changes and recover them?
5
to force someone or something to go back toward where they came from, often with authority
- Due to the road closure, the police had to turn back hundreds of cars to divert traffic.
- The border patrol turned back several migrants who attempted to cross the border illegally.
- The security guard turned back anyone without proper identification from entering the restricted area.
- The police turned back the protesters who tried to march toward the government building.
6
to prevent the advance of a danger or an enemy
- Despite their persistence, the border patrol successfully turned back those attempting to cross the border illegally.
- The bouncer had to turn back individuals who didn't meet the entry requirements for the exclusive club.
- The brave soldiers stood firm, determined to turn back the advancing enemy troops.
- The security measures were designed to turn back any potential threats at the border before they could pose a danger to the country.
- The principal had to turn back the students who arrived late for the school trip, as the bus had already left.
7
to flip an item to reveal its opposite side or transform its appearance
- The tailor skillfully turned the jacket back to fix a seam.
- The archaeologist carefully turned back the ancient parchment, revealing an additional layer of writing.
- I turned the blanket back to find the tag with washing instructions.
- Turn the shirt back before ironing to smooth out the collar.
8
to change one's mind or undo something that has been done, said, or promised
- Once you've signed the contract, there's no turning back; you're committed to the terms and conditions.
- The company decided to turn back on their initial decision to lay off employees after receiving backlash from the public.
- The detective couldn't turn back once he started following the suspect; he had to see the investigation through to the end.
- Despite his doubts, he couldn't turn back once he began the adventurous journey into the unknown.
- The politician faced criticism for attempting to turn back on his campaign promises once in office.