rotate

adjective

ro·tate | \ˈrō-ˌtāt

Definition of rotate

(Entry 1 of 2)

: having the parts flat and spreading or radiating like the spokes of a wheel rotate blue flowers

rotate

verb

ro·tate | \ˈrō-ˌtāt,

especially British rō-ˈtāt\

rotated; rotating

Definition of rotate (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to perform an act, function, or operation in turn

b : to pass or alternate in a series

2 : to turn about an axis or a center : revolve especially : to move in such a way that all particles follow circles with a common angular velocity about a common axis

transitive verb

1a : to cause to turn or move about an axis or a center

b : to cause (a plane region or line) to sweep out a volume or surface by moving around an axis so that each of its points remains at a constant distance from the axis generate a torus by rotating a circle about an external line

2 : to cause to grow in rotation rotate crops

3 : to cause to pass or act in a series : alternate

4 : to exchange (individuals or units) with others

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Examples of rotate in a Sentence

Verb

As the gear rotates, it turns the other gears. The Earth rotates on its axis. The planets rotate around the sun. The software allows you to rotate images. Rotate the sheet of paper 90 degrees. The staff rotates the weekend shift. We rotate—she does the dishes one week; I do them the next. You should rotate your car's tires once a year.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Rotate pie plate about 15° (if the top of the pie is the 12 o’clock mark, turn it to 2 o’clock). — Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit, "BA's Best Blueberry Pie," 10 July 2017 Rotate steaks 45 degrees and cook another 2 minutes. — Milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Grilled Kansas City Strip Steaks," 3 July 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Per the original plan, the State Games first rotated between Southern and Northern California. — Glae Thien, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego's Cal State Games turning 30," 12 July 2018 Whether or not Jackson rotated properly on help isn't reflected in a traditional box score. — J. Michael, Indianapolis Star, "Jaren Jackson Jr. sits in middle of Grizzlies' efforts to rebuild grit-and-grind identity," 11 July 2018 The dishes rotate but have included a truffle Caesar salad, a porcini mushroom and truffle lasagna, black truffle manicotti and Rotolo’s latest creation: truffle panna cotta. — Jay Jones, latimes.com, "Only on Sunday: In Las Vegas, here are three dishes you can't get any other day," 10 July 2018 Winkleman then slowly rotates the guage's rotary handle to move its probe down to the edge of a tiny hole on the side of the gun's frame. — Adam Fisher, WIRED, "A Landmark Legal Shift Opens Pandora’s Box for DIY Guns," 10 July 2018 Four wheels rotate in the gyroscope to provide a reaction that allows the necessarily precision in tracking, and two of the four failed by May 2013. — Glenn Fleishman, Fortune, "In Space, Nobody Can Hear You Stream: Kepler Telescope to Send NASA Its Last Images," 7 July 2018 In Dixon, the position of vice mayor rotates among city council members, with the role changing hands every January. — Michael Mcgough, sacbee, "Thousands petition against Dixon vice mayor who wrote ‘hateful,’ homophobic column," 5 July 2018 The wheels rotate almost four times with every stroke. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "How Bike Gears Actually Work," 5 July 2018 The Tide often rotate their backs, dividing carries among the top two or three. — Ron Kroichick, SFChronicle.com, "Top recruit Najee Harris eagerly awaits bigger role at Alabama," 4 July 2018

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