rotation
noun
ro·ta·tion
rō-ˈtā-shən 
1
a(1)
: the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center
(2)
: the act or an instance of rotating something
b
: one complete turn : the angular displacement required to return a rotating body or figure to its original orientation
2
a
: return or succession in a series
rotation of the seasons
b
3
: the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot
4
: a game of pool in which all 15 object balls are shot in numerical order
5
: the series of pitchers on a baseball team who regularly start successive games in turn
Examples of rotation in a Sentence
the rotation of the Earth around its axis
the rotation of the Moon around the Earth
The Earth makes one rotation every day.
Alfalfa and corn are planted in rotation.
the rotation of the job of club president
The car needs a tire rotation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Flights going west, like Sky Harbor's new transpacific routes, are longer than flights going east because of how the rotation of the Earth influences wind patterns, according to the aviation website Simple Flying.
—
Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 6 Aug. 2025
These infield additions not only allowed for better rotation over the final two months of the year, but also allowed another viable option at shortstop if Volpe’s struggles continued.
—Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Duty rotations were tighter on the ship, and sometimes weeks passed without a full day off.
—Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Easy to dress up or down—and somehow still incredibly comfortable thanks to its stretchy elastic waistband—this flouncy skirt is bound to be on heavy rotation during my travels, from Cape Cod to Montreal.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotation
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 6 Aug. 2025
These infield additions not only allowed for better rotation over the final two months of the year, but also allowed another viable option at shortstop if Volpe’s struggles continued.
—Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Duty rotations were tighter on the ship, and sometimes weeks passed without a full day off.
—Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Easy to dress up or down—and somehow still incredibly comfortable thanks to its stretchy elastic waistband—this flouncy skirt is bound to be on heavy rotation during my travels, from Cape Cod to Montreal.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotation
Cite this Entry
“Rotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotation. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rotation
noun
ro·ta·tion
rō-ˈtā-shən
1
a
: the act of rotating especially on an axis
b
: one complete turn
2
Medical Definition
rotation
noun
ro·ta·tion
rō-ˈtā-shən
: the action or process of rotating on or as if on an axis or center
specifically
: the turning of a body part about its long axis as if on a pivot
rotation of the head to look over the shoulder
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