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Glite Dictionary
to turn someone's head

to turn someone's head

1 4.9
Make people notice you because they admire or are surprised by you
  • phrasal verb
: llamar la atención

Examples

  • If they were that able to quickly turn someone's head against you on the basis of their words.

  • If they were that able to quickly turn someone's head against you on the basis of their words.

  • Her stunning performance was enough to turn heads at the award ceremony.

  • The artist's unique style can easily turn someone's head in a crowded gallery.

  • His charming smile and confidence always turn heads when he walks into a room.

Synonyms

to catch someone's eye
vsto turn someone's head
103 2.7

Attract someone's attention because it is interesting or noticeable

focuses more on attracting looks and admiration than mere interest
to catch someone's attention
vsto turn someone's head
38 2.8

Make someone notice you or something

often implies visible looking or admiration rather than simple notice
to grab someone's attention
vsto turn someone's head
23 3.3

Make someone notice something quickly and feel interested

is broader, covering attention or admiration without sudden force
to turn heads
vsto turn someone's head
  • Informal
22 4.4

To attract a lot of attention because of how you look or what you wear

is similar but can include general attention rather than public admiration

Antonyms

to repel
50 4.2

Make someone or something move back and stay away, often by using force

How Noticeable

to enthrall
5 6.8
to captivate
28 4.2
to turn someone's head
1 4.9
to notice
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

turn someone's head infinitive
turned someone's head past
turned someone's head past participle
turning someone's head present participle
turns someone's head third person singular

Morphology

turn + someone's + head

The meaning 'to attract attention or admiration' follows directly from the literal idea of causing someone’s head to turn toward something; a learner who knows 'turn' and 'head' can infer that the phrase means causing someone to look or notice. This physical-to-figurative mapping is common across languages and is a straightforward compositional extension, so it will be clear to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Turn someone's head comes from a simple picture: when something very attractive or surprising appears, people actually turn their head to look. So, to turn someone's head means 'to attract attention or admiration'.