What does "turnout" mean?
The act of coming forth.
Turnout
/ˈtɜː(ɹ)naʊt/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of coming forth.
- Grammar: turnout is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: accouterments, apparatus, apparel, assemblage.
- Useful contrasts: absenteeism, abstention, mainline.
- Usage evidence: There was a high turnout to the election.
How to use "turnout"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "turnout" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "turnout" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "turnout" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "turnout" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "turnout" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accouterments" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "turnout", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of coming forth. countable, uncountable
- 2 (ballet) the outward rotation of a dancer's leg from the hip wordnet
- 3 The number or proportion of people who attend or participate in an event (especially an election) or are present at a venue. countable, uncountable
"Depending on the location of a restaurant, weekdays may equally experience low turnout."
- 4 attendance for a particular event or purpose (as to vote in an election) wordnet
- 5 A place to pull off a road. US, countable, uncountable
"When towing a trailer, use the turnouts to let faster traffic pass."
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 a set of clothing (with accessories) wordnet
- 7 A place where moveable rails allow a train to switch tracks; a set of points. US, countable, uncountable
"An article published recently in our associated weekly contemporary, The Railway Gazette, dealt at some length with the differences in construction and operation between civil and military railways, and explained that points and crossings are more commonly termed "turnouts" in military parlance."
- 8 what is produced in a given time period wordnet
- 9 A quitting of employment for the purpose of forcing increase of wages; a strike. countable, dated, uncountable
- 10 a short stretch of railroad track used to store rolling stock or enable trains on the same line to pass wordnet
- 11 A striker. countable, dated, uncountable
"Meanwhile on the eighteenth a party of soldiers dispersed a crowd in Over Darwen, and the following day a detachment came to protect the Hargreaves' large mill at Accrington, where one of the partners, anticipating a visit from the turnouts, had sworn in several hundred of the workpeople as special constables."
- 12 a part of a road that has been widened to allow cars to pass or park wordnet
- 13 That which is prominently brought forward or exhibited; hence, an equipage. countable, uncountable
"A man with a showy carriage and horses is said to have a fine turnout."
- 14 the group that gathers together for a particular occasion wordnet
- 15 Net quantity of produce yielded. countable, uncountable
- 16 The act of putting out to pasture. countable, uncountable
"Duties include feeding and turnout of horses."
- 17 Rotation of the leg at the hips which causes the feet and knees to turn outward, away from the front of the body. countable, uncountable
Example
"There was a high turnout to the election."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "turnout"?
Common synonyms include: accouterments, apparatus, apparel, assemblage, assemblee, assembly.
How do you use "turnout" in a sentence?
There was a high turnout to the election.
How do you pronounce "turnout"?
Pronounced /ˈtɜː(ɹ)naʊt/.
Etymology
Deverbal from turn out.