turn against

stop liking or supporting someone you used to like

B2

What does "turn against sb" mean?

To turn against someone means to stop supporting or liking them and become hostile instead. The key idea is a shift — there was once a positive relationship, whether friendship, loyalty, or admiration, and something causes that to change. You can use it to describe individuals falling out with someone they once trusted, or large-scale shifts where entire groups, voters, or the public change their attitude towards a leader or institution. The change can happen gradually ('slowly turned against') or quite suddenly ('turned against him overnight'). Because the shift from support to hostility is built into the meaning, the phrase always implies that things were different before.

Examples

How to use it

subject + turn against + person/group

The most common pattern — a person, group, or entity becomes hostile towards someone or something they previously supported.

After the leaked emails were published, many of his long-time allies turned against him.

subject + turn against + each other

Use this pattern when two or more parties that previously got along start becoming hostile towards one another.

What began as a close friendship ended when the business partners turned against each other over money.

public opinion / voters / the crowd + turn against + institution/leader

Abstract subjects like public opinion or collective groups are very common with this phrasal verb in political or social contexts.

Voters began to turn against the party after the new tax increases were announced.

slowly / gradually / eventually + turn against + object

Adverbs of gradual change work naturally here to show that the shift in loyalty happened over time rather than all at once.

She had admired her mentor for years before she slowly turned against everything he stood for.

turn against + pronoun (him / her / them / it)

When the object is a pronoun, it must always follow 'against' — never place it between 'turn' and 'against'.

The coach was popular at first, but after a run of poor results, the fans turned against him.

Common Collocations

turn against a friendturn against the governmentturn against their leaderpublic opinion turns againstvoters turn againstturn against each other

Common Mistakes

Separating the phrasal verb

Unlike some phrasal verbs, 'turn against' cannot be split. The object — whether a noun or pronoun — must always come after 'against', never between 'turn' and 'against'.

✗ She turned him against after the argument.
✓ She turned against him after the argument.
Confusing 'turn against' with 'turn on'

'Turn on' suggests a sudden, often aggressive or physical attack, while 'turn against' describes a broader shift in loyalty or attitude, which may develop over time. Using 'turn on' when you mean a gradual change of allegiance can sound too aggressive or immediate.

✗ Public opinion slowly turned on the government after the crisis.
✓ Public opinion slowly turned against the government after the crisis.
Forgetting the implied prior relationship

'Turn against' only makes sense when the subject previously had a positive or neutral relationship with the object. Using it where no prior support existed sounds unnatural — in that case, 'oppose' or 'go against' would be more appropriate.

✗ The protesters turned against the foreign dictator they had always hated.
✓ The protesters turned against their own government, which they had once strongly supported.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both formal writing (e.g. political analysis) and informal conversation. It always implies that the person or group previously had a positive or supportive relationship with the object.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'turn against' be used in the passive, like 'he was turned against'?

No — 'turn against' cannot be used in the passive in this sense. The subject is always the one doing the turning, and the structure of the phrasal verb does not allow passivisation. If you want to express that someone became the target of hostility, you would need to rephrase entirely, for example: 'Many people became hostile towards him.'

Does 'turn against' always describe a slow, gradual process?

Not necessarily. While 'turn against' is often used with words like 'slowly' or 'gradually', it can also describe quite sudden shifts — for example, 'the crowd turned against him overnight'. The key element is the change from support to hostility, not the speed at which it happens.

Can things as well as people 'turn against' someone?

Yes — abstract subjects like luck, fate, or circumstances are sometimes used with 'turn against' in a more literary or figurative way, for example 'fortune turned against them'. However, the most common subjects are people, groups, voters, or entities like public opinion. Using an inanimate subject can sound slightly dramatic or literary in tone.

Is there a difference between 'turn against someone' and 'go against someone'?

'Go against' focuses on active opposition or contradiction — for example, going against someone's wishes or going against the rules. 'Turn against' specifically emphasises the shift away from a previously positive relationship. If there was no prior loyalty or support involved, 'go against' is usually the better choice.

Can I use 'turn against' without mentioning who or what the hostility is directed at?

It's possible when the context makes it very clear, for example: 'Once loyal, they eventually turned against.' However, this construction is uncommon and sounds rather literary or dramatic. In most everyday and journalistic contexts, it is much more natural to state the object explicitly: 'they turned against their leader.'

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