turn away

not let someone enter a place

B2

What does "turn sb away" mean?

To turn someone away means to refuse to let them enter a place or access a service, usually because of a rule, lack of space, or official policy. The person being turned away often reaches a specific point of entry — a door, a border, a reception desk — and is stopped there. This phrasal verb is strongly associated with situations involving overcrowded venues, hospitals at capacity, border controls, and businesses that cannot take more customers. It often carries a sense of disappointment or unfairness for the people who are refused. You will see it frequently in news reports, especially in the passive form, but it is equally natural in everyday conversation.

Examples

How to use it

turn away + person/group

The most common structure, where the person or group being refused entry follows the particle directly.

The venue had reached capacity, so staff began turning away anyone without a ticket.

turn + pronoun + away

When the object is a pronoun, it must always go between the verb and the particle — never after 'away'.

There was no room left at the shelter, so they had to turn them away.

turn + short noun phrase + away

Short noun phrases can also be placed between the verb and the particle, which is especially natural in conversation.

The receptionist turned several patients away when the clinic closed early.

be turned away (+ at/from + place)

The passive is extremely common, especially in journalism, and often includes a phrase showing where the refusal happened.

Over three hundred applicants were turned away at the door before the event even started.

be forced/have to turn away + person/group

This structure emphasises that the refusal was reluctant or unavoidable, often due to capacity or policy.

The hospital was so overwhelmed that doctors were forced to turn away non-emergency cases.

Common Collocations

turn away customersturn away at the doorturn away refugeesturn away patientsturn away fansturned away from the venue

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placed after the particle

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'turn' and 'away'. Placing it after the particle is ungrammatical in English.

✗ The bouncer turned away them at the entrance.
✓ The bouncer turned them away at the entrance.
Confusing 'turn away' with 'turn down'

'Turn down' means to reject an offer, application, or request in an abstract sense, whereas 'turn away' means to physically stop someone from entering or accessing a place. They are not interchangeable.

✗ She was turned away for the job because of her lack of experience.
✓ She was turned down for the job because of her lack of experience.
Using a non-human object

'Turn away' in this sense always takes a person or group as its object — not an idea, offer, or thing. If you are rejecting something rather than refusing entry to someone, a different verb is needed.

✗ The committee turned away the proposal at the last minute.
✓ The committee turned down the proposal at the last minute.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both spoken and written English. It is especially common in news reports in the passive form (e.g. 'dozens were turned away'), and is used across British and American English without significant regional difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'turn away' always mean refusing entry to a place, or can it mean something else?

There is another common sense of 'turn away' that means to look or face in a different direction, as in 'she turned away in embarrassment'. That sense is intransitive and involves no object. The sense covered here is always transitive — someone in authority is refusing another person access to a place or service. The two meanings are quite different, so context usually makes it clear which one is intended.

Is 'turn away' used more in British or American English?

It is used naturally in both British and American English, with no significant difference in meaning or frequency between the two varieties. You will encounter it in journalism, official announcements, and everyday speech on both sides of the Atlantic.

What kinds of situations is 'turn away' typically used for?

It is most commonly associated with situations where someone reaches a physical or institutional threshold and is refused access — for example, at a nightclub door, a hospital reception, a border crossing, or a sold-out event. The object is always a person or group, such as customers, patients, fans, or refugees. It would sound unnatural if the object were an abstract thing like an idea or an offer.

Can I use 'turn away' without mentioning who is being refused?

Yes, if the context makes it clear who is being refused, you can omit the explicit object. For example, 'The restaurant was fully booked, so they had to turn away' is understandable in context, though it sounds slightly informal. In more formal or written English, it is more natural to include the object or use the passive form.

Why is the passive form so common with 'turn away'?

In many situations involving refused entry, the focus naturally falls on the people who were refused rather than on who refused them. News reports and official accounts often use the passive for this reason — 'dozens were turned away at the border' puts the emphasis on those affected. Adding a location phrase like 'at the door' or 'from the venue' makes the passive especially vivid and is a very common pattern.

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