turn out
HighNeutral - appropriate in both formal and informal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To result or happen in a particular way; to develop or become.
To produce or make something; to attend or be present at an event; to empty or clean the contents of something; to expel or force to leave; to prove to be the case.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A highly polysemous phrasal verb whose meaning depends heavily on context and grammatical patterns (e.g., 'turn out to be' vs. 'turn out the lights' vs. 'turn out a product'). Its meaning can be broadly grouped into result/development, production, attendance, and evacuation/emptying.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meanings. The adjective form 'well-turned-out' (smartly dressed) is more common in British English. Both varieties use 'turnout' as a noun for attendance, but American political usage is more frequent.
Connotations
In UK English, 'turn out' for 'produce' (e.g., 'turn out graduates') can sound slightly formal or industrial. In both varieties, 'it turned out that...' is extremely common and neutral.
Frequency
Equally frequent and central in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + turn out + (to be) + adjective/noun (e.g., He turned out (to be) friendly).It + turn out + that-clause (e.g., It turned out that she was right).Subject + turn out + object (e.g., The factory turns out cars).Subject + turn out + prepositional phrase (e.g., They turned out for the parade).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “turn out the lights on something (to end or abandon)”
- “turn out in force (to attend in large numbers)”
- “turn out trumps (British: to succeed unexpectedly)”
- “turn out one's pockets (to empty them to show they are empty)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used for production metrics (e.g., 'The plant turns out 500 units a day') and results (e.g., 'The merger turned out to be profitable').
Academic
Used to describe findings, outcomes, or developments (e.g., 'The experiment turned out as predicted').
Everyday
Ubiquitous for describing how things happened (e.g., 'The party turned out great', 'He turned out to be a cousin').
Technical
Limited; can be used in engineering/manufacturing for production rates or in event planning for attendance figures.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The weather turned out lovely for the picnic.
- The school turns out well-rounded pupils.
- A huge crowd turned out to see the procession.
American English
- It turned out that the meeting was canceled.
- The Detroit plant turns out trucks.
- Please turn out the lights when you leave.
adverb
British English
- (Not typically used as an adverb; the phrasal verb functions as a unit.)
American English
- (Not typically used as an adverb; the phrasal verb functions as a unit.)
adjective
British English
- He was always very well-turned-out for school.
- A poorly-turned-out applicant might not make a good impression.
American English
- She was perfectly turned out for the gala.
- The committee expects a properly turned-out delegation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I hope the cake turns out well.
- Turn out the light, please.
- The story turned out to be true.
- Despite the rain, the festival turned out to be a success.
- The factory turns out hundreds of shoes every day.
- Few people turned out to vote.
- The suspect turned out to have a solid alibi.
- The company's new strategy turned out trumps, leading to record profits.
- We had to turn out all the cupboards to find the missing document.
- The research turned out a number of surprising correlations that had been previously overlooked.
- The populace turned out in droves to protest the new legislation.
- For all his boasting, he turned out to be a complete charlatan.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a potter TURNing a wheel, and OUT comes a finished vase. This links the action (turn) to the final result or product (out).
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE/EVENTS ARE A JOURNEY WITH AN ENDPOINT (We set out, and we see how things turn out). PRODUCTION IS A PROCESS OF EMERGENCE (The factory turns out new models).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'turn out' as 'поворачиваться' or 'кружиться'. Key meanings map to: оказаться (to turn out to be), производить (to turn out products), выгонять (to turn out of a place), выходить на (to turn out for an event).
- The noun 'turnout' (посещаемость, явка) is often missed.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'turn out' without 'to be' before a noun (e.g., 'He turned out a doctor' – should be 'He turned out to be a doctor').
- Confusing 'turn out' (result) with 'turn off' (switch off, disgust).
- Using the wrong preposition: 'turn out as' vs. 'turn out to be' (e.g., 'It turned out as a disaster' is less common than 'It turned out to be a disaster').
Practice
Quiz
In the context of a factory, 'to turn out' primarily means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. 'It turned out that...' is perfectly acceptable in academic writing.
'Turn out' focuses on the revealed result or nature of something (often with an element of surprise). 'End up' focuses more on the final position or situation after a process, often unintended (e.g., 'We ended up lost'). They can sometimes overlap.
Yes, especially in the 'production' sense. E.g., 'A thousand cars are turned out by the factory each week.' The 'result' sense is less common in the passive.
It primarily means 'attendance' or 'the number of people present at an event' (e.g., 'a high voter turnout'). It can also mean 'a wide clearing in a road for vehicles to pass' (chiefly British).