rotates

verb

present tense third-person singular of rotate
1
as in turns
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis rotate the mirror 180 degrees

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in revolves
to move in circles around an axis or center with mirrors on three sides, she rotated all around to see how the dress looked on her

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 rotates As the motor rotates the end, the rod deforms and stores elastic energy. — New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026 Workday’s rally comes amid a broader rethink of software companies, which are starting to look more attractive as money rotates out of semiconductors and into parts of the AI trade that investors think will outperform going forward. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 When the device rotates, the frequencies of these signals shift slightly relative to each other. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026 Matt DiStefano shares his screen and rotates a gray 3D model of a California neighborhood. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 The machine rotates just 24 times per minute, which allows the yarn to remain relaxed and creates a natural softness. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026 As the comet rotates, fresh ice enters the sunlight and sublimates; the escaping gas then drags entrained dust particles away from the nucleus. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026 This divergence reflects both short-term irregularities in how fast Earth rotates, and a very gradual, long-term slowdown of Earth’s rotation, caused primarily by the Moon’s gravitational pull on Earth’s oceans. — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 The café rotates beans from young farmers across Colombia, allowing guests to experience the country’s diverse growing regions through different filter coffees. — Nikkita Nair, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotates
  1. turns
  2. revolves
  3. spins
  4. twirls
  5. swings
  6. swivels
  7. twists
  8. pivots
Verb
  • Sometimes you get wrapped up in things and your focus turns toward other types of content.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • By tonight, the Moon enters Aquarius and your attention turns toward what is worth your time and energy.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of turns
Verb
  • Lialina’s practice as an artist and archivist revolves the uneven promises of permanence, loss, maintenance, and distribution that the internet, in its many formats and phases, represents.
    — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Repayment happens as customers settle their invoices, and the facility essentially revolves, with fresh invoices replacing those that have been paid off.
    — Amit Singhania, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of revolves
Verb
  • The Roadster 2 reaches over 26 feet in the air through its cold-gas thrusters, spins once in mid-air, then uses the same tech to land safely.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Inspired by spider silk, the company genetically programs microorganisms to produce silk proteins through fermentation, then spins those proteins into biodegradable yarn.
    — Kate Gammon, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of spins
Verb
  • Inside, Benjamin Davalos twirls his measuring jigger and, with a turn of his wrist, releases a swallow’s worth of straight rye.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • With smoke streaming from his mouth and nose, McTominay twirls the delighted older man around.
    — Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 16 June 2026
Definition of twirls
Verb
  • Elizondo’s wide-ranging production discography, which swings from hip-hop to country, rock and R&B, attracted Greta Van Fleet.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
  • When the Spider swings past a silverish-gray newsstand filled with copies of the Daily Bugle, the frame becomes black-and-white, even in the color version.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of swings
Verb
  • The reel mounts to the wall with a two-point bracket (included) and smoothly swivels 180 degrees.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Alison swivels her head towards Kyle.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Definition of swivels
Verb
  • The key is in the flexible headband, which twists and automatically switches the Neo from headphone to speaker mode – and back.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The child twists away from her, trying to get out of her arms.
    — Joan Kron, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of twists
Verb
  • If the commission pivots to grant the Club for Growth's petition, political groups of all stripes could amp up their use of AI to prerecord messages that play when voters pick up the phone.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
  • At that point, the film pivots to a more surreal register, presenting bright, clear skies that are slowly, eerily engulfed in darkness.
    — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pivots

Browse Nearby Words

rotated
rotates
rotating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rotates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotates. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All