as in circles
to travel completely around
the moon orbits the Earth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of orbits
IEEE Spectrum, 21 Jan. 2026
The plan represents a departure for Europe’s top satellite makers, which have traditionally focused on large, complex spacecraft in high orbits, but the industry has been disrupted by Starlink’s small, relatively cheap, low-orbit machines.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
If a planet orbits close to its star in an elliptical orbit, then its interior will stretch and squeeze as the gravitational strength of the star changes.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 6 May 2026
The sky is always changing As Earth orbits the sun, stars appear to rise about four minutes earlier each night.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Soaring 20-foot ceilings stretch above a teal velvet sofa custom-made by Rove Concepts that orbits an original Malm copper drum fireplace dating back to the 1970s.
—Sarah Wood González, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2026
The larger Starlink constellation also orbits at around 500km in altitude, while the US’s GPS system spans 31 operational satellites orbiting at a far more distant 20,000km.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
The book orbits around an art scandal that pulls in collectors, curators, philosophers and hangers-on.
—CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Koch described the phenomenon from her experience aboard the International Space Station, which orbits much closer to home than the moon at just about 200 miles (about 320 kilometers) high.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Earth catches chunks Comet from Thatcher’s debris path every year as our planet orbits the sun.
—Hali Smith
march 31, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
Canadian and American researchers simulated satellite orbits in low Earth orbit and generated a metric, the CRASH Clock, that measures the number of days before collisions start happening if collision-avoidance maneuvers stop.
—IEEE Spectrum, 21 Jan. 2026
The plan represents a departure for Europe’s top satellite makers, which have traditionally focused on large, complex spacecraft in high orbits, but the industry has been disrupted by Starlink’s small, relatively cheap, low-orbit machines.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 24 Oct. 2025
If a planet orbits close to its star in an elliptical orbit, then its interior will stretch and squeeze as the gravitational strength of the star changes.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Because the station orbits Earth once every 90 minutes, the crew on board sees 16 sunrises and sunsets every day.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 6 May 2026
The sky is always changing As Earth orbits the sun, stars appear to rise about four minutes earlier each night.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 May 2026
Psyche is a nickel-iron core asteroid that orbits the sun beyond Mars anywhere from 235 million to 309 million miles away.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Soaring 20-foot ceilings stretch above a teal velvet sofa custom-made by Rove Concepts that orbits an original Malm copper drum fireplace dating back to the 1970s.
—Sarah Wood González, Architectural Digest, 30 Apr. 2026
The larger Starlink constellation also orbits at around 500km in altitude, while the US’s GPS system spans 31 operational satellites orbiting at a far more distant 20,000km.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 28 Apr. 2026
The book orbits around an art scandal that pulls in collectors, curators, philosophers and hangers-on.
—CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Koch described the phenomenon from her experience aboard the International Space Station, which orbits much closer to home than the moon at just about 200 miles (about 320 kilometers) high.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Earth catches chunks Comet from Thatcher’s debris path every year as our planet orbits the sun.
—Hali Smith
march 31, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orbits
Noun
-
In Akira Ikezoe’s paintings, on view in the Whitney Biennial, artistic, social, ecological, and energy systems enmesh in circular loops that appear schematic, like a Fordist assembly line.—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
24 May 2026
-
From the back, the shoe’s slim ankle strap loops through a keeper and fastens with matching gold-tone hardware, while the glossy black footbed keeps the sandal in one continuous finish from the square toe to the heel.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Walk the trail that circles turquoise Emerald Lake, one of the park’s most iconic sites.—
Maryam Siddiqi,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
-
Most relied on the free shuttle that circles the valley floor.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Then, looking at the amp rating of your circuits (most laundry appliances require a 15–30 amp circuit).—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The highway traverses the ancestral homelands of more than 25 tribal nations.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Over an efficient five tracks, West traverses the sonic styles of her generation — from nu-metal riffs to rage-rap 808s — with dazzling confidence.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Ladies who lunch at The George cross paths with ladies who launch (startups, that is), men in smart suits are occasionally gala-bound, and creatives on laptops greet locals stopping in for a drink or afternoon tea under the ornate ceilings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 May 2026
-
Harper has been crafty on the base paths, recording three steals on four attempts.—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
What was on your mind then post 9/11 with the film and what still rings true today?—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
-
That definitely rings true for me this Mother’s Day.—
Nicole Varma,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Nothing Starship accomplished on Flight 12 was particularly groundbreaking for SpaceX; the mission goals and trajectories were broadly similar to those of the previous few test missions.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
23 May 2026
-
All 12 of SpaceX’s Starship test flights to date have flown on suborbital trajectories.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Accessibility Camp Lucy accommodates ADA standards with a selection of accessible rooms and bathrooms, along with wheelchair friendly pathways that lead to the hotel’s elevator.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
-
These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Orbits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orbits. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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