gyrate

1 of 2

adjective

gy·​rate ˈjī-ˌrāt 

: winding or coiled around : convoluted

gyrate branches of a tree

gyrate

2 of 2

verb

gyrated; gyrating

intransitive verb

1

: to revolve around a point or axis

2

: to oscillate with or as if with a circular or spiral motion

gyrator

ˈjī-ˌrā-tər 

noun

gyratory

ˈjī-rə-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

Synonyms of gyrate

Verb

• rotate
• revolve
• spin

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

In addition to the style of dance in all its gyrating glory, krump has its own genre of music, which lands somewhere between hip-hop, techno and heavy metal, and a style of dress that is in tune with hip-hop street style sprinkled with a touch of the Juggalo culture. —Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2026

The stock market has gyrated for weeks amid uncertainty over the war in the Middle East, which has strangled the global flow of oil and liquified natural gas, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining effectively shut to oil tankers. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026

Markets have gyrated as traders try to discern the outlook for the Fed. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 has gyrated wildly in recent weeks. —ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1830, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gyrate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

gyrate

verb

gy·​rate

ˈjī-ˌrāt

gyrated; gyrating

1

: to rotate around a point or axis

2

: spin entry 1 sense 3, whirl

gyration

jī-ˈrā-shən

noun

gyrational

-shnəl, 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

gyrate

adjective

gy·​rate ˈjī-ˌrāt 

: winding or coiled around : convoluted