revolve
Americanverb (used without object)
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revolves,
present (3rd person singular)
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revolved,
past participle, past
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revolving
present participle
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to move in a circular or curving course or orbit.
The earth revolves around the sun.
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to turn around or rotate, as on an axis.
The wheel revolves slowly.
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to proceed or occur in a round or cycle; come around again in the process of time; recur.
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to be revolved in the mind.
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to focus or center on.
verb
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to move or cause to move around a centre or axis; rotate
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(intr) to occur periodically or in cycles
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to consider or be considered
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(intr; foll by around or about) to be centred or focused (upon)
Juliet's thoughts revolved around Romeo
noun
Synonym Usage
See turn.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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revolvesimple
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revolvessimple
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have revolvedperfect
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has revolvedperfect
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am revolvingprogressive
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are revolvingprogressive
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is revolvingprogressive
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have been revolvingperfect progressive
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has been revolvingperfect progressive
Past
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revolvedsimple
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had revolvedperfect
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was revolvingprogressive
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were revolvingprogressive
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had been revolvingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of revolve
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English revolven, from Latin revolvere “to roll back,” equivalent to re- re- + volvere “to roll, turn round”
Explanation
When something revolves, it turns on an axis or in an orbit around something else. People who love you probably think the world revolves around you (but really, the earth revolves around the sun). Revolve comes from those useful Latin roots re- "again" or "back" and volvere "roll," as seen in evolution, involve, and lots of other familiar words. Picture a revolving door, and you can understand what it means to revolve, or turn in a circular motion.
Vocabulary lists containing revolve
Space Science (Astronomy) - Introductory
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Earth and the Solar System - Introductory
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Earth and Space 2: Space
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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.
See Examples For:
Frenkel said its interest could revolve around how Guggenheim Investments, Walter’s asset management firm, booked revenue from its dealings with the insurers and the disclosures of the transactions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Those concerns also revolve around so-called AI agents, which are software products that are designed to perform tasks autonomously.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
Infantino opened the door to a 64-team global tournament during this year's event, but Tebas argued that "not everything can revolve around the World Cup".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Going forward, questions will revolve around how much investors “really know about” SK Hynix’s shares, and how much that matters “if trades are placed based on a volatility trade,” Gregson said in emailed comments.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
High school, I had come to realize, did not revolve around the usual four seasons on the calendar.
From "The Red Umbrella" by Christina Gonzalez
PepsiCo has invited agency holding companies and consultancies to participate in a review that revolves around using AI to transform its marketing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
Sharing scenes with the other principal characters, intense or sensitive as the moment requires, Alice is the hub around whom the series revolves and hurtles forward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Another episode revolves around a significant fine issued to a 68-year-old slaveholder named Benjamin Rice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Much of the film’s first act revolves around the party’s inherent awkwardness, giving all four players the chance to relay the texture of their personalities.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
It all revolves around Michael, who is standing at the center circle, clipboard in hand, shouting at Caroline.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Turkey's interests in Syria historically revolved around preventing a spillover of Kurdish fighters.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
The deal revolved around the creation of a Disney games and entertainment universe interoperating with “Fortnite,” which is still in progress despite layoffs at Epic Games this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
An industry that once revolved around information shared at private clubs or events has become a highly digitized landscape.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
When news of Sam Neill’s death at the age of 78 broke earlier this week, much of the public sentiment for the late New Zealand actor revolved around his humor and charm.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
We were agrarian, unsophisticated, industrious people, Jews and Christians alike, whose lives revolved around family, our religious calendars, and the seasons of sowing and reaping.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Paramount disclosed that it had $1.6 billion in cash on hand and a revolving loan of $3.2 billion available for its use.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Nehls only disclosed a handful of bank accounts, stock and a mutual fund — all worth less than $15,000, while listing liabilities in the form of revolving credit from three credit card companies.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
"That was the moment I realised somebody had to do something," said the wildlife biologist, who never dreamt of a career revolving around the sea.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
But as one career diplomat told me, Delhi wasn't particularly "familiar" with the revolving cast of prime ministers over the past decade either.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
They now owe about $750 billion in revolving debt, according to the Federal Reserve, a sixfold increase from two decades ago.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
