Turn down meaning
Turn down means to say no to an offer, an invitation or a person. It can also mean to make a sound, heat or light lower.
turn somebody or something down
turn down · turned · turning
He turned down the job because the pay was low.
Turn down meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Say no to an offer, an invitation or a person
turn somebody or something down
- He turned down the job because the pay was low.
- I asked her to dance, but she turned me down.
- They turned down our offer on the house.
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2
Make a sound, heat or light lower
turn something down
- Can you turn the music down? I’m on the phone.
- Turn down the heating. It’s too warm in here.
- She turned down the lights for the film.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use turn down in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is turn down separable?
Turn down is separable. You can say turn down the music or turn the music down. With a pronoun, it goes in the middle: turn it down, turn me down.
It always needs an object. You turn something or someone down.
Verb tenses for turn down
| Present | I turn down · she turns down |
|---|---|
| Past | turned down |
| Present perfect | have turned down |
| -ing form | turning down |
Common mistakes with turn down
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I asked her out, but she turned down me.
Right: I asked her out, but she turned me down.
A pronoun goes between turn and down.
Wrong: The TV is too loud. Can you turn down?
Right: The TV is too loud. Can you turn it down?
Turn down needs an object. Say what you want lower.
Wrong: He turned down to come with us.
Right: He turned down our invitation to come with us.
Turn down takes a noun, not to + verb. Or say: He said no to coming with us.
Synonyms and opposites of turn down
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- refusesay no to something
- declinethe polite, formal way to say no to an offer or an invitation
- lowermake something less loud, bright or hot
Opposite
- turn upmake a sound, heat or light higher
- acceptsay yes to an offer or an invitation
Turn down quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1It’s too loud. Please ___ the TV. Which phrasal verb fits?
Turn down means make a sound lower. Turn up would make it louder.
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2They offered me the job, but I ___.
Turn down means say no, and a pronoun goes in the middle.
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3“She turned him down.” What happened?
Turn someone down means say no to them, often when they ask you out.
More phrasal verbs with turn
All phrasal verbs with turn, by level, with an exercise
11 phrasal verbs start with turn. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- turn onA2make a light, machine or tap start working
- turn offA2make a light, machine or tap stop working
- turn intoB1change and become something different
- turn aroundB1change direction to face the other way
- turn overB1move something so the other side faces up
- turn awayB1turn your face or body so you do not look at something
- turn upB2arrive, often late or when nobody expects you
- turn outB2happen or end in a particular way
- turn backB2return the way you have come, or make someone do this
- turn inB1give something to a teacher, a boss or an authority
Turn down FAQ
Questions people ask about turn down.
What does turn down mean in a relationship?
It means say no when someone asks you out or asks to be your partner. He asked her out, but she turned him down.
Is turn down rude?
No. It is a neutral way to say that someone said no. When you turn something down yourself, you can be polite: Thank you, but I can’t accept.
What is the opposite of turn down?
For sound, heat and light, it is turn up. For an offer or an invitation, it is accept.
What is the difference between turn down and turn off?
Turn down makes something lower, but it is still on. Turn off makes it stop completely. Turn the music down means quieter. Turn the music off means no music.
Use turn down in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.