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turning away

turning away

11 5.8
Choosing to avoid someone or to stop something from happening
  • noun
translation icon : rechazo
  • She made a conscious choice of turning away from the toxic relationships in her life.

It speaks to the power of not turning away when you know someone isn't OK.

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Examples

  • The community is turning away from reliance on fossil fuels to embrace more sustainable practices.

  • "We don't know if the baby was left for dead," the detective said, turning away.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "Thanks, I guess," Jan said, turning away and walking back to the helicopter.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Again, that wary look; again, that turning away and saying something to each other.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • "Was any further harm done to you?" I asked, turning away to conceal my anxiety.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • The sight of Judd, John, and Mark turning away from her down the hall made her heart sink.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • "I'm sorry," he said, turning away, refusing to meet her gaze.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The time had come to turn away from the imperatives of fighting communism and toward domestic priorities.

    Academic text (1992)
  • But one energetic young scholar is turning away from the kings and focusing on the regular people of ancient Mycenae.

    Academic text (2008)
  • His turning away from the project caused significant delays and frustration for the team.

Synonyms

escape
vsturning away
77 1.1

An act of avoiding harm or a dangerous situation

is about deliberate avoidance in place or action rather than fleeing
avoidance
vsturning away
39 3.7

Keeping away from something or stopping it from happening

is deliberate and also can stop things happening or continuing
evasive action
vsturning away
6 4.9

A quick move to avoid danger

is a general deliberate avoidance that also includes preventing continuation
aversion
vsturning away
2 7.0

Turning your eyes or head away from something

is deliberate avoidance that also includes preventing things, not only reactions
dodging
vsturning away
2 5.0

A quick movement to avoid someone or something, for example a ball

is broader, covering deliberate avoidance and stopping events as well
shunning
vsturning away
1 7.2

Not talking to or seeing someone on purpose to show you are unhappy with them

is general avoidance and also covers preventing things beyond social exclusion
distancing
vsturning away
1 4.8

Making less emotional or social contact with someone

is action-focused avoidance and can also aim to stop events, not just feelings
eschewal
vsturning away
  • Formal
9.9

A choice to avoid something on purpose

is more general, not limited to principled or abstaining motives
averting
vsturning away
6.1

Turning your eyes or face away from something

is broader, covering deliberate avoidance beyond just eyes or attention

Antonyms

78 3.9

Taking part in a group's activities

11 2.7

The coming closer in time or space

How Rejecting

shunning
1 7.2
rejection
180 3.0
turning away
11 5.8
to ignore
1.0
avoidance
39 3.7

Surface Forms

turning away singular
turning aways plural

Morphology

turning + away

The noun 'turning away' is directly compositional from 'turning' (an act of rotating or changing direction) + 'away' (movement to a more distant position), so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer meanings like averting one’s face or refusing someone. The extended senses (e.g., preventing something from continuing) are predictable metaphorical extensions of physical movement/avoidance and follow a common verb+particle pattern, making the expression transparent.

Etymology

Turning away comes from the clear image of a person turning their face or body away at a door or border to refuse entry. So it means 'avoiding' someone on purpose or 'stopping' something from happening.