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gyrate

adjective
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gy·​rate | \ ˈjī-ˌrāt How to pronounce gyrate (audio) \

Definition of gyrate

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: winding or coiled around : convoluted gyrate branches of a tree

gyrate

verb
gyrated; gyrating

Definition of gyrate (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to revolve around a point or axis
2 : to oscillate with or as if with a circular or spiral motion
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Other Words from gyrate

Verb

gyrator \ ˈjī-​ˌrā-​tər How to pronounce gyrator (audio) \ noun
gyratory \ ˈjī-​rə-​ˌtȯr-​ē How to pronounce gyratory (audio) \ adjective

Examples of gyrate in a Sentence

Verb They gyrated to the music. the gyroscope got its name for the way the disk inside the instrument gyrates around an axis
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The country announced Monday an immediate halt to exports of nickel ore, sending prices gyrating as traders tried to gauge the impact of a measure that was originally slated for 2022. — Washington Post, "Indonesia Does Its Best to Scare Off Investment," 30 Oct. 2019 The censors tended to gyrate between the fainting couch and the battlefield. — Kevin Baker, Harper's magazine, "Whiteout," 28 Oct. 2019 The question comes after Jason's friends bully Scotty, Scotty raps about it, and Jason chimes in with his own rap that features plenty of hip gyrating. — Carly Mallenbaum, USA TODAY, "Harry Styles is the perfect American jock in 'SNL' sketch that didn't make the cut," 19 Nov. 2019 The whirling ions emit radio photons, which prompt other ions, gyrating in concert, to spawn more photons, resulting in a coherent beam, like a natural laser. — Daniel Clery, Science | AAAS, "This telescope could ‘see’ inside alien worlds for the first time," 9 Oct. 2019 In Portland, nude dancers freely gyrate inches from customers’ faces. — New York Times, "Strippers Are Doing It for Themselves," 24 July 2019 Gorman’s sublime pummeling had the crowd gyrating like the concert hall floor had been electrocuted. — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, "Black Crowes’ rousing VBC concert rocks and rolls," 25 Sep. 2013 In any case, points out one adviser to the Labour leadership, after three years of the Brexit process Britons have got used to the pound gyrating all over the place. — The Economist, "A Labour government would radically transform Britain," 30 Oct. 2019 Ions that escape from its volcanic moon Io get swept up by the planet's magnetic field and gyrate around the field lines. — Daniel Clery, Science | AAAS, "This telescope could ‘see’ inside alien worlds for the first time," 9 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gyrate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of gyrate

Adjective

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for gyrate

Time Traveler

The first known use of gyrate was in 1830

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Cite this Entry

“Gyrate.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gyrate. Accessed 14 December 2019.

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More Definitions for gyrate

gyrate

verb

English Language Learners Definition of gyrate

: to move back and forth with a circular motion

See the full definition for gyrate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

gyrate

verb
gy·​rate | \ ˈjī-ˌrāt How to pronounce gyrate (audio) \
gyrated; gyrating

Kids Definition of gyrate

: to move back and forth with a circular motion The child made the top gyrate.

Other Words from gyrate

gyration \ jī-​ˈrā-​shən \ noun

gyrate

adjective
gy·​rate | \ ˈjī-ˌrāt How to pronounce gyrate (audio) \

Medical Definition of gyrate

: winding or coiled around : convoluted

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More from Merriam-Webster on gyrate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gyrate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with gyrate

Spanish Central: Translation of gyrate

Nglish: Translation of gyrate for Spanish Speakers

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