Meaning & use
a turn-on
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableinformal
something that makes you feel sexually excited or interested
Grammar: Countable: you can say a turn-on or turn-ons.
Patterns
- a turn-on for someone
- be a turn-on
For him, a confident smile is a big turn-on.
She admitted that his deep voice was a turn-on.
The movie was full of scenes meant to be turn-ons.
nouncountableinformal
something that makes you feel excited or enthusiastic in a non-sexual way
Grammar: Often used with for: a turn-on for someone.
Patterns
- a turn-on for someone
- be a turn-on
The challenge of a new project is a real turn-on for me.
Learning about different cultures is a turn-on for many travelers.
For her, the idea of starting her own business was a turn-on.
Word forms
| plural | turn-ons |
|---|
Common combinations
- a big turn-on
- He said that intelligence is a big turn-on.
- a real turn-on
- The risk involved was a real turn-on for the young entrepreneur.
- a turn-on for someone
- For many people, a sense of humor is a turn-on.
- become a turn-on
- What was once scary can become a turn-on.
Synonyms and how they differ
- turn-on
- Same meaning, but usually written without a hyphen in informal writing; the hyphenated form is more standard.
- aphrodisiac
- A more formal and technical word for something that causes sexual excitement.
Opposites
Word family
- turn on phrasal verb
- To excite someone sexually or to make someone interested.
Commonly confused: a turn-on or turn on?
a turn-on vs turn on
As a phrasal verb, turn on means to switch on a device or to excite someone. The noun a turn-on is a thing that excites.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'a turn-on' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The correct answer is A because 'a turn-on' is a noun meaning something that excites. B, C, and D use 'turn-on' as a verb, which is incorrect; the verb is 'turn on' (two words).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a turn-on”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.