Definition of ORIENTATE

Did You Know?

Orientate is a synonym of "orient," and it has attracted criticism as a consequence. "Orient," which dates from the mid-18th century, is in fact the older of the two verbs - "orientate" joined the language in the mid-19th century. Both can mean "to cause to face toward the east" (and, not surprisingly, they are related to the noun Orient, meaning "the East"). Both also have broader meanings that relate to setting or determining direction or position, either literally or figuratively. Some critics dislike "orientate" because it is one syllable longer than "orient," but you can decide for yourself how important that consideration is to you. Personal choice is the primary deciding factor, although "orientate" tends to be used more often in British English than it is in American English.

Examples of orientate in a Sentence

a program that helps to orientate new students She needs to orientate herself to her new job.

Recent Examples on the Web

The videos will be vertically-orientated, full-screen, up to 4K resolution, and as long as 60 minutes (instead of the current limit of 60 seconds). — James Vincent, The Verge, "Instagram reportedly launching ‘IGTV’ video hub for online creators later today," 20 June 2018 Speaking to the Inquirer and Daily News, Harris said his role with NBC Sports Philadelphia changed back in September, leading him to do more digitally-orientated work involving podcasts and Facebook Live segments. — Rob Tornoe, Philly.com, "Marshall Harris out at NBC Sports Philadelphia," 9 Apr. 2018 This alignment, according to Tim Pauketat, professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois, is tied to the summer solstice sunrise and the southern maximum moonrise, orientating Cahokia to the movement of both the sun and the moon. — Sarah E. Baires, Smithsonian, "White Settlers Buried the Truth About the Midwest’s Mysterious Mound Cities," 23 Feb. 2018 Paul, 22, is one of YouTube's top content creators, regularly drawing millions of views from his mainly youth-orientated audience. — NBC News, "YouTube pares back Logan Paul partnership after suicide video post," 11 Jan. 2018 Fees for the center are $25 for a trainer orientated, $10 a month or $50 for six months for residents, and $15 a month or $75 for six months for non-residents. — Courant Community, "Senior Center Celebrates Building's 15th Anniversary," 23 Aug. 2017 The people here are so welcoming and family-orientated, and everyone knows everyone. — Photographs And Text By Nancy Borowick, New York Times, "Young Voices on a Targeted Island: ‘Very Lucky to Be From Guam’," 20 Aug. 2017 Yet while the rooftops soak up rays, houses are orientated to avoid direct sunlight inside, keeping interiors cool. — Tom Page, CNN, "The Sustainable City: Is off-grid living the way forward for Dubai?," 14 June 2017

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