as in rotations
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point
the ballerina's perfectly executed pirouette
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in rotates
to move in circles around an axis or center
the ballerina pirouetted across the stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 pirouettes
Federica Sgorbissa, ArsTechnica, 24 May 2026
On Tuesday, Sasha De Sola, an old pro in the role, danced it with ravishing self-possession, hardly seeming to need the support of her consort Harrison James, who exuded the corn-fed charm of a linebacker while delivering cleanly polished grande pirouettes.
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Feb. 2026
The history of Olympic figure skating is shaped almost as much by epic falls as by soaring pirouettes.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
The triad moves across the grey room in a dizzying chain of matching pirouettes, drawing a slow circle one after another as arpeggiating harp fills the bare space with sound.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
The extraordinary footage, which Unitree Robotics shared on the its social media channels depicts the humanoid bot carrying out a series of complex movements, including pirouettes, dance routines, as well as incredible kickboxing skills.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Before plying precious stones and metals, pirouettes and pointes were the means of expression for the Belgian.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
To the west, the London Eye pirouettes above the skyline—to the east, Shakespeare’s Globe serves legendary sonnets.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Étoile, the Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino vehicle canceled after one season on Amazon Prime, is awash in elegant shots of ballerina pirouettes and the opulent interior of the Opéra Garnier in Paris — which served as the inspiration for the novel The Phantom of the Opera.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2022
Noun
In hours of underwater video footage from a New York aquarium, a beluga whale named Natasha stretches her neck, pirouettes, nods, and shakes her head in front of a two-way mirror.
—Federica Sgorbissa, ArsTechnica, 24 May 2026
On Tuesday, Sasha De Sola, an old pro in the role, danced it with ravishing self-possession, hardly seeming to need the support of her consort Harrison James, who exuded the corn-fed charm of a linebacker while delivering cleanly polished grande pirouettes.
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Feb. 2026
The history of Olympic figure skating is shaped almost as much by epic falls as by soaring pirouettes.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026
The triad moves across the grey room in a dizzying chain of matching pirouettes, drawing a slow circle one after another as arpeggiating harp fills the bare space with sound.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
The extraordinary footage, which Unitree Robotics shared on the its social media channels depicts the humanoid bot carrying out a series of complex movements, including pirouettes, dance routines, as well as incredible kickboxing skills.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
Before plying precious stones and metals, pirouettes and pointes were the means of expression for the Belgian.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
To the west, the London Eye pirouettes above the skyline—to the east, Shakespeare’s Globe serves legendary sonnets.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Étoile, the Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino vehicle canceled after one season on Amazon Prime, is awash in elegant shots of ballerina pirouettes and the opulent interior of the Opéra Garnier in Paris — which served as the inspiration for the novel The Phantom of the Opera.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Instead, the silver-and-yellow Ferrari pirouettes through the corner with balletic grace, without so much as a chirp from its tires.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pirouettes
Noun
-
Residents Medical arranges rotations with careful attention to specialty alignment.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
Christian Petersen / Getty Images NBC News analyzed the average ages of NBA champions’ playoff rotations since 2016, and San Antonio would be the youngest team to win a title — out-young-ing last year’s Oklahoma City Thunder.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Contrary to their sides of years past, this iteration of PSG are physically outstanding — and Luis Enrique rotates his players in the less-demanding and smaller (18 teams to the Premier League’s 20) Ligue 1 to ensure that.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
-
Wang was elected to the City Council in November 2022 and eventually assumed the job of mayor, a position that rotates among the council members.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Makar tested out his skating with some twirls at the end of the first and returned for the second.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
-
The unconscious Moon twirls into your 12th House of Whispers, inviting gentle reflection and rest that helps your inner world reorganize.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the crocodile spins, the prey experiences immense torsional and shear forces.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
The qubits work by trapping individual electrons in silicon structures, where the electrons’ spins store information.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Four wheels moves the body, two wheels moves the soul.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Before Bret realizes his daughter's foot-content creator career dream is a jest for the cameras, the loving father spins his wheels, recovering from his surprise to even manage encouragement.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
That happens simply because Earth revolves, but the planets also move across the sky, further complicating things.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
-
The moving drama revolves on a young boy, the film’s titular character, who escapes the bombing of his southern Iranian village in which his family is killed.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Inside, its modernist lines are softened by lush textiles and the soft curves of furnishings from Urquiola’s designs for Italian brands such as Cassina and Molteni, as well as the vertical gardens developed by botanist Patrick Blanc.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Behind the glass sat a sea-foam green Hermes 3000, a pre-1966 model, instantly recognizable by its bulbous body and soft, swelling curves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Some manufacturers have created toilet paper and toilet paper rolls pretreated with scents like lavender or vanilla that are released every time the paper is turned and torn.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
-
The law, which took effect immediately and came days before next Tuesday's primary, prohibits any person — including federal agents — from accessing voter rolls or election technology without a court order.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pirouettes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pirouettes. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
