orbit 1 of 2

as in to circle
to travel completely around the moon orbits the Earth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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orbit

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun orbit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of orbit are compass, gamut, range, scope, and sweep. While all these words mean "the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control)," orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

When might compass be a better fit than orbit?

In some situations, the words compass and orbit are roughly equivalent. However, compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

Where would gamut be a reasonable alternative to orbit?

The words gamut and orbit can be used in similar contexts, but gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

When can range be used instead of orbit?

The words range and orbit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

In what contexts can scope take the place of orbit?

Although the words scope and orbit have much in common, scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

When would sweep be a good substitute for orbit?

The meanings of sweep and orbit largely overlap; however, sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of orbit
Verb
SpaceX to deploy Starlink satellites SpaceX will launch its famous two-stage 230-foot Falcon 9 rocket, one of the world's most active, to deliver 24 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025 SpaceX expects the rocket to cost $100 million to start to reach low-Earth orbit, with a target of cutting the price to $20 million. Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
What’s up Space becomes the new battlefront — Hackers backing the Kremlin hijacked an orbiting satellite and beamed down footage from Russia’s Victory Day parade to Ukrainian televisions — as modern warfare moves to space. Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2025 Before Voyager 2’s groundbreaking views of Uranus in 1986, only five moons — its largest — had been spotted orbiting the planet, with the first two discovered in 1787 and the fifth in 1948. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for orbit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orbit
Verb
  • The altitude is low enough to allow for things like satellites to circle Earth fairly quickly.
    Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Just before midnight on Friday, August 22nd, insects circled the bright lights outside the Texas state capitol and sprinklers watered the lawn.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Understand how long deployments take, what training is required, and whether the data strategy creates a feedback loop for continual improvement.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Without explicit feedback loops—behavioral signals, retraining pipelines and active learning mechanisms—most models get stale over time.
    Keshav Agrawal, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Patient data traverses unsecured networks in jurisdictions beyond the scope of oversight.
    Douglas B. Laney, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Much of the rest of the hike was dry and traversed gentle gravel bars or smooth limestone expanses, skirting the edges of grassy bluffs and rocky cliffs.
    Eva Frederick, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Edwina Tops-Alexander, Jessica Springsteen and Lorenzo De Luca are professionals part of the Loro Piana Jumping Team who compete wearing Loro Piana uniforms in the International Show Jumping circuit.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
  • NeueHouse locations in Los Angeles have become staples on the meeting and party circuit since the venture began more than 10 years ago.
    William Earl, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Extremists, of any kind, cannot be allowed to dictate the region’s trajectory.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
  • What To Know Kendle shared details about Swift's large sparkler from Kelce and said the piece of jewelry could change the trajectory of engagement ring trends.
    Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Gateway — the Artemis program's pitstop space station in lunar orbit — has had a bumpy path inside the program's architecture.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • While it can be renewed indefinitely as long as the business remains operational, the E-2 visa does not provide a direct path to permanent residency.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • On fourth-and-12, Weaver bought time in the pocket before finding Gabriel Bess uncovered on a wheel route out of the backfield for a 28-yard touchdown to put Heritage up 23-14 at halftime.
    Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
  • From 2021 to 2022, Austin Ekeler ran a position-high 734 routes, saw 196 targets and caught 157 passes for 1,209 receiving yards.
    Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Orbit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orbit. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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