revolve

verb re·volve \ ri-ˈvälv , -ˈvȯlv also -ˈväv or -ˈvȯv \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Examples: revolve in a Sentence

Definition of revolve

revolved; revolving

transitive verb

1 : to turn over at length in the mind : ponder

revolve a scheme

2 a obsolete : to cause to go round in an orbit

b : rotate 1

intransitive verb

1 : recur

2 a : to ponder something

b : to remain under consideration

ideas revolved in his mind

3 a : to move in a curved path round a center or axis

b : to turn or roll round on an axis

4 : to have or come to a specified focus : center —usually used with around

the dispute revolved around wages

—

revolvable

play \ri-ˈväl-və-bəl, -ˈvȯl- also -ˈvä-və- or -ˈvȯ-və-\ adjective

See revolve defined for English-language learners

See revolve defined for kids

Examples of revolve in a Sentence

As the gear revolves, it turns the other gears.
The Earth revolves on its axis.
The software allows you to revolve images.

Recent Examples of revolve from the Web

Fans who think that the NBA revolves around the glorious sun that is the Warriors might be surprised to learn that Iguodala’s arrival in 2013 was a franchise turning point.

— ann killion, SFChronicle.com, "Andre Iguodala’s season review: Organizer, babysitter, leader," 13 June 2018
Like so many other Texans, some of my fondest memories of childhood revolve around Garner State Park.

— dale blasingame, San Antonio Express-News, "The 8 best family-friendly Texas state parks," 11 June 2018
There have been exceptions, of course, but the epic hero journeys, the buddy comedies, the spy thrillers—most of them revolved around dudes.

— angela watercutter, WIRED, "Ocean's 8 Is Good, but It's Time for New Stories, Not Just Gender-Swaps," 8 June 2018
Where Howard Davies’s 1999 production revolved around Spacey, Wolfe’s production places Washington as one of three tentpole performances, between Colm Meaney’s beleaguered bar owner and David Morse’s haunting, haunted ex-revolutionary.

— constance grady, Vox, "Your guide to the 17 most important nominees at this year’s Tonys," 7 June 2018
This is general population stuff, the next level, or perhaps lower, a starting pitcher whose performance no longer revolves around pitch counts.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Haudricourt: It's the number of outs, not pitches, that matters most for Brewers starters," 25 May 2018
The project will eventually consist of 391 custom homes and cottages on 2,136 - all revolving around an 18-hole golf course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

— david caraccio, sacbee, "This Lake Tahoe luxury housing development is opening its 'family campus' this summer | The Sacramento Bee," 25 May 2018
The unlimited bandwidth—while highly unusual for free VPNs—does as well given that Pornhub’s existence revolves around streaming videos.

— brad chacos, PCWorld, "Pornhub launches VPNhub, a VPN service with free, unlimited bandwidth," 24 May 2018
However, the entire evening revolved solely around one man; Iniesta, who bid his final farewell to the Catalonian club after 22 years of service, with boss Ernesto Valverde leading the tributes post-match.

— SI.com, "Barcelona Confirm Ousmane Dembele Ankle Injury After Horror Challenge During Sociedad Win," 21 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of revolve

Middle English, from Latin revolvere to roll back, cause to return, from re- + volvere to roll — more at voluble

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

revolve Synonyms

Synonyms

chew over, cogitate, consider, contemplate, debate, deliberate, entertain, eye, kick around, meditate, mull (over), perpend, ponder, pore (over), question, ruminate, study, think (about or over), turn, weigh, wrestle (with);

Near Antonyms

disregard, ignore, overlook, slight;

dismiss, pooh-pooh (also pooh), reject;

analyze, explore, review;

conclude, reason;

second-guess, speculate (about);

brood (about or over), dwell (on or upon), fixate (on or upon), fret (about or over), obsess (about or over);

believe, conceive, opine;

absorb, assimilate, digest, drink (in);

Phrases

beat one's brains out (about), chew on, cudgel one's brains (about), look at;

REVOLVE Defined for English Language Learners

revolve

verb

Definition of revolve for English Language Learners

: to turn around a center point or line

REVOLVE Defined for Kids

revolve

verb re·volve \ ri-ˈvälv , -ˈvȯlv \

Definition of revolve for Students

revolved; revolving

1 : to move in an orbit

Planets revolve around the sun.

2 : rotate 1

Word Root of revolve

The Latin word volvere, meaning “to roll” or “to turn around,” gives us the root volv. Words from the Latin volvere have something to do with turning. To revolve is to turn in circles or travel on a circular path. To evolve, or grow or develop out of something else, is to unroll from a source. To involve, or include, is to roll someone into a situation.