as in circles
to travel completely around
the moon orbits the Earth
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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
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
In fact, in a typical day, the ISS orbits Earth about 16 times, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 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
Adrian orbits the star Tau Ceti.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 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
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
In fact, in a typical day, the ISS orbits Earth about 16 times, according to NASA.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 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
Adrian orbits the star Tau Ceti.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orbits
Noun
-
Gambling addiction is a serious public health issue that prediction markets intensify by merging the addictive feedback loops of social media with casino-style wagering.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Functional front pockets and belt loops add to their versatility.—
Becca Blond,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Enjoy a coffee break at The Lookout at Lake Poway before the group circles back.—
Pomerado News,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
As the vehicle circles the far side of the moon, communication back to Earth is expected to be blocked for about 40 minutes.—
Brendan Byrne,
NPR,
6 Apr. 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
-
Equipped with advanced LiDAR sensors and 360-degree cameras, the humanoid autonomously traverses the site, capturing high-definition data and feeding it directly into health and safety workflows.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The river traverses land where three generations of the Egger family once raised dairy cows.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With its winding paths, extensive planting, and choreographed vistas offering views of four states, Olana is a sort of Gesamtkunstwerk to which Church devoted the final decades of his career.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Many of those paths lead to warfare.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
The question was about coaching in general, but certainly rings true in the Heat’s case.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Norah feels celebrated and strengthened by its community, an ethos that rings true when Claire speaks about those around her.—
Julie Lin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Community colleges and regional universities open doors to millions each year, offering affordable pathways to careers and degrees that change family trajectories for generations.—
Ed Smith-Lewis,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
There have also been reverse trajectories.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Food noise stems from the intersection multiple biological systems such as hormones, blood sugar regulation, dopamine pathways and psychological processes.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and city agencies continue to prioritize unit production over ownership pathways.—
Izabela Engel,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Orbits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orbits. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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