as in preferring
to be drawn or attracted
He always gravitated to the fantasy section of the bookstore. She tends to gravitate towards people who share her interest in music.
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Recent Examples of gravitating
Manfred's approval rating remains middling, though the general trend shows opinions gravitating toward the center.
—
Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
At Boy London, makeup artist Marike Thibaut achieved this look by gravitating to greige, a neutral that retains the frosted vibes of the early aughts but with a toasty finish for a modern edge.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent design trends suggest that many couples are gravitating toward stationery and digital designs that reflect regional character or natural surroundings rather than traditional, generic wedding motifs.
—Craig Lebrau, Freep.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Instead, people are gravitating toward plantings that welcome pollinator friends like birds, bees, and butterflies.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
People around the Bay Area are gravitating toward mahjong at brewpubs, bookstores and other public spaces to learn this age-old pastime, which developed in China in the 19th century and spread around the globe in the 20th.
—Grace Hwang Lynch, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The film underscores a broader trend across the lineup at the Berlinale, as well as other festivals, that sees Hollywood actors gravitating toward European directors.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
Nas just dropped four or five crazy joints and people are still gravitating to it.
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Carey has always had a flair for the theatrical, gravitating toward luxurious designs throughout her career.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
At Boy London, makeup artist Marike Thibaut achieved this look by gravitating to greige, a neutral that retains the frosted vibes of the early aughts but with a toasty finish for a modern edge.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent design trends suggest that many couples are gravitating toward stationery and digital designs that reflect regional character or natural surroundings rather than traditional, generic wedding motifs.
—Craig Lebrau, Freep.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Instead, people are gravitating toward plantings that welcome pollinator friends like birds, bees, and butterflies.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
People around the Bay Area are gravitating toward mahjong at brewpubs, bookstores and other public spaces to learn this age-old pastime, which developed in China in the 19th century and spread around the globe in the 20th.
—Grace Hwang Lynch, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
The film underscores a broader trend across the lineup at the Berlinale, as well as other festivals, that sees Hollywood actors gravitating toward European directors.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
Nas just dropped four or five crazy joints and people are still gravitating to it.
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2026
Carey has always had a flair for the theatrical, gravitating toward luxurious designs throughout her career.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gravitating
Verb
-
Her late Majesty never wore black tights, preferring nude or brown tights.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Instead, Zeisig treats the project like a beat tape, preferring static mats of sound and dynamically unyielding drifts over crescendoes and catharsis.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Follow your interest, then translate insight into action by choosing a useful resource and mapping clear steps with someone who’s already traveled this path.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
At the end of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, an aging Newland Archer, who as a young man broke his own heart by choosing propriety over love, tells himself that the mark of the modern era is that everyone is too busy to care about their neighbors’ standing.—
Lily Meyer,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Evolution operates at the level of populations over generations, favoring traits that increase average reproductive success, even if those traits sometimes harm individuals.—
Lilia Goncharova,
The Conversation,
9 Mar. 2026
-
This is not about favoring corporations over consumers.—
Sara Albrecht,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The must-read (Matt Mais / Yurok Tribe) In a potentially historic win for condor conservation, Yurok wildlife officials say there might be a condor pair tending to an egg in the tribe’s Northern California homeland — where condors haven’t nested for more than a century.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In fact, McCormack is working on his memoir, a story that begins with his days as a young lad tending sheep, pigs, horses, chickens and the occasional beef cow on his family’s farm.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And the then-new audio streaming services, like Spotify, were taking hits from creators for paying low royalty rates.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Duncanville picked up the pace in the third quarter, taking a 38-34-lead into the fourth.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The agents can also teach themselves how to perform new tasks and keep detailed notes about a user’s preferences, allowing the agents to mold themselves to users’ liking over time.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The textile strap can be adjusted to your exact liking on each foot, since the fabric is completely permeable.—
Anna Popp,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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A day later, both sides were outside during breaks enjoying an unseasonably warm mid-March day in Manhattan.—
Doug Feinberg,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The neighborhood/area Grab coffee at Café Lyria in Noho, take a cycling class at AARMY, stop by Baya Bar for a smoothie, spot your favorite TikToker while enjoying a plate of fries at Fanelli Café in Soho, then see the sunset in Washington Square Park, where people watching is a favorite pastime.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Watson said the city does not play a role in selecting festival speakers but will continue protecting people’s right to protest.—
Faith Bugenhagen,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Shortly afterward, however, Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the constitutional body responsible for selecting the supreme leader — announced that Mojtaba Khamenei would assume leadership of the Islamic Republic.—
Pegah Banihashemi,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gravitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gravitating. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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