: having the parts flat and spreading or radiating like the spokes of a wheel
rotate blue flowers
rotated; rotating
1
a
: 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
1
a
: 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
Synonyms
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
Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2024
The frozen block is slowly rotating above an underwater mountain named Pirie Bank Seamount, which is about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) tall.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024
After rallying more than 20% in the second quarter, Alphabet has lost more than 12% in the current quarter as investors rotated out of high-flying megacaps.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2024
Ideally, the snake will exit the bottom of the downspout without much resistance, but if there is a clog, rotate the drain snake’s auger head to break up the clog and dislodge any remaining debris.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rotate 
Verb
Others feature rotating discs that grip the hair follicle at its root and pull it out, similar to waxing.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2024
The frozen block is slowly rotating above an underwater mountain named Pirie Bank Seamount, which is about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) tall.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024
After rallying more than 20% in the second quarter, Alphabet has lost more than 12% in the current quarter as investors rotated out of high-flying megacaps.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2024
Ideally, the snake will exit the bottom of the downspout without much resistance, but if there is a clog, rotate the drain snake’s auger head to break up the clog and dislodge any remaining debris.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rotate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rotate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rotate
Cite this Entry
“Rotate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotate. Accessed 13 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share