orchestrate
Americanverb (used with or without object)
-
to compose or arrange (music) for performance by an orchestra.
-
to arrange or manipulate, especially by means of clever or thorough planning or maneuvering.
to orchestrate a profitable trade agreement.
verb
-
to score or arrange (a piece of music) for orchestra
-
to arrange, organize, or build up for special or maximum effect
Other Word Forms
- orchestrater noun
- orchestration noun
- orchestrator noun
- overorchestrate verb
- reorchestrate verb
- unorchestrated adjective
Etymology
Origin of orchestrate
First recorded in 1875–80; from French orchestr(er) (derivative of orchestre orchestra ) + -ate 1
Explanation
To orchestrate is to design or organize something, like a plan or a project. You could orchestrate an orchestra or you could just orchestrate a yard sale. An orchestra is a large group of classical musicians led by a conductor: it consists of many people playing together. Similarly, when we talk about orchestrating, someone is coordinating the activities of many people to accomplish something. The manager of an office orchestrates the business. A coach orchestrates the play of the team. Terrorist leaders orchestrate attacks. Orchestrating is like directing, and it applies to many more things than just music.
Vocabulary lists containing orchestrate
The Devil's Arithmetic
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The Fault in Our Stars
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"Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry, Introduction and Afterword
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Gross aerial mass is only increasing, and for both defensive and offensive purposes we reiterate the need for integrated platforms that can coordinate and orchestrate manned systems, unmanned systems, and central command.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
These hubs help orchestrate activity across networks, selecting the right systems for the job.
From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026
She felt responsible for the patient’s future, so she made up a diagnosis to orchestrate an admission.
From Slate • Jan. 26, 2026
With enough of a budget, a single developer can orchestrate teams of agents to work on existing codebases or even to start a project from scratch.
From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026
Back in Durham, NCC student leaders contacted their counterparts at Shaw University in Raleigh and urged them to orchestrate their own sit-in and to pass the word along to other black schools.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
