as in roots
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
an issue that is the real pivot of the controversy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in rotates
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
the telescope is mounted on a tripod so you can easily pivot it for viewing in any direction
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 pivots
Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Strategic pivots still require overwhelming evidence rather than one person's early warning.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
This is just one of the ways in which Ophelia’s Got Talent pivots relentlessly between spectacle and storytelling.
—Caroline Lillian Schopp, Artforum, 13 May 2026
Mercury joins forces with Uranus in Gemini on May 18, followed by the Uranus cazimi in the same sign on May 22, bringing unexpected news, sudden career pivots and opportunities that come out of the woodwork.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
The BofA analysts went to sell from buy, citing execution risk as the customer platform for marketing, sales, and customer service pivots to an AI agent-first model.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Other landlords and developers made more dramatic pivots.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 1 May 2026
Ideas come fast, and so do pivots.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
The plan was to prevent Arsenal’s pivots (the players who help out in the middle of the pitch in build-up) from influencing the game.
—Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Mazin’s script is shakiest when the action pivots to the village.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
But as the world pivots toward more sustainable sources of energy, a new geopolitical order will emerge.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
The head of the Mini Cool pivots 360 degrees.
—Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Some areas could receive more than a foot of snow by Saturday, April 4, as the storm pivots over the region.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Fans may be confused by the finale, which pivots on a disclosure that’s bound to be common knowledge for viewers (and should already be recognized by the characters, too).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Founder James van Geelen said persistently high energy prices risk weighing on consumers and corporate earnings, creating a backdrop where stocks struggle even as the Federal Reserve eventually pivots toward rate cuts.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
According to a Zebra spokesperson, the review pivots the technology company further back to its core offerings.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 19 Dec. 2025
Noun
Later, Mercury meets Uranus, adding surprise and a few unexpected pivots.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026
Strategic pivots still require overwhelming evidence rather than one person's early warning.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
This is just one of the ways in which Ophelia’s Got Talent pivots relentlessly between spectacle and storytelling.
—Caroline Lillian Schopp, Artforum, 13 May 2026
Mercury joins forces with Uranus in Gemini on May 18, followed by the Uranus cazimi in the same sign on May 22, bringing unexpected news, sudden career pivots and opportunities that come out of the woodwork.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
The BofA analysts went to sell from buy, citing execution risk as the customer platform for marketing, sales, and customer service pivots to an AI agent-first model.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Other landlords and developers made more dramatic pivots.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 1 May 2026
Ideas come fast, and so do pivots.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
The plan was to prevent Arsenal’s pivots (the players who help out in the middle of the pitch in build-up) from influencing the game.
—Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Lee instead pivots to a 2023 bribery scandal that has nothing to do with the engineering, fire codes or testing protocols that govern these facilities.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026
Mazin’s script is shakiest when the action pivots to the village.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026
But as the world pivots toward more sustainable sources of energy, a new geopolitical order will emerge.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
The head of the Mini Cool pivots 360 degrees.
—Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Some areas could receive more than a foot of snow by Saturday, April 4, as the storm pivots over the region.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Fans may be confused by the finale, which pivots on a disclosure that’s bound to be common knowledge for viewers (and should already be recognized by the characters, too).
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026
Founder James van Geelen said persistently high energy prices risk weighing on consumers and corporate earnings, creating a backdrop where stocks struggle even as the Federal Reserve eventually pivots toward rate cuts.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2026
According to a Zebra spokesperson, the review pivots the technology company further back to its core offerings.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pivots
Noun
-
What is striking about this moment is that America is not merely acknowledging the Jewish roots of some of its values historically, but openly turning again to a distinctly Jewish practice as a possible source of wisdom for the present.—
Ari Berman,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
Rayner is a favorite of members who think the party has strayed too far from its working-class roots and those who want the party to do more to boost the minimum wage and raise taxes on the rich.—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The bookmobile rotates its collection more often because of its small space.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
To top it off, the titanium movement (Caliber GP09400-1273) rotates once every minute.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
La Familia members typically bang drums and sing their hearts out from opening to closing whistle but decided to stay quiet and brought no flags or instruments to the stadium.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
-
The Baaka dingo is proof of just how deeply dingoes had worked their way into people’s hearts and lives by around a thousand years ago.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Another turns downtown into Taste of Black Harrisburg, with food vendors, live mural painting, music, comedy, and chef demonstrations taking over the block.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
14 May 2026
-
The device turns virtually any liquid into a frosty drink within 20 to 30 minutes — with a couple of exceptions.—
Clint Davis,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Researchers realized the moon was a potential helium-3 treasure trove in the 1970s, after finding it in drill cores gathered by astronauts during some of NASA’s Apollo missions.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
-
Cerebras sells the Wafer-Scale Engine 3, a single 5nm AI accelerator with 4 trillion transistors and 900,000 cores fabricated on one continuous wafer.—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Anything less, though, swings the door open for Spurs to clinch survival at Stamford Bridge.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
When Kenobi surrenders and Vader swings his blade through Kenobi’s chest, Kenobi disappears.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Second-year forward Aneesah Morrow was once again a bright spot for Connecticut, logging her second straight double-double off the bench with 16 points and 11 rebounds.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
During the hourlong experience, two teams of up to seven players each face off in mini-games to see who can rack up the most points.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Even the prospect of rocketing so many satellites to circle the Earth, and possibly endangering other spacecraft, could trigger a political tornado that spins across the globe.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
-
The arrests of nine people on the bridge — along with two rally organizers a couple days earlier — capped a two-month operation to track down dirt bike and ATV riders suspected of traveling in packs for sideshows and spins across the Bay Area, said Oakland police Chief Jim Beere.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pivots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pivots. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
