turn away phrasal verb ( see also ↑ turn )
1 . turn somebody ↔ away to refuse to let someone enter a place or join an organization, for example because it is full:
The show was so popular police had to turn people away.
Thousands of applicants are turned away each year.
2 . turn somebody ↔ away to refuse to give someone sympathy, help, or support:
Anyone who comes to us will not be turned away.
The insurance company has promised not to turn away its existing customers.
3 . turn (somebody) away from somebody/something to stop supporting someone, or stop using or being interested in something, or to make someone do this:
Consumers are turning away from credit cards.
events that turned Henry away from his family