rotate

¹ American  

[roh-teyt, roh-teyt] / ˈroʊ teɪt, roʊˈteɪt /

verb (used with object)

• rotates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• rotated,
  past participle,  past
• rotating
  present participle

1. to cause to turn around an axis or center point; revolve.

   Synonyms:

   whirl, wheel

2. to cause to go through a cycle of changes; cause to pass or follow in a fixed routine of succession.

   to rotate farm crops.

3. to replace (a person, troops, etc.) by another or others, usually according to a schedule or plan.

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verb (used without object)

• rotates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• rotated,
  past participle,  past
• rotating
  present participle

1. to turn around on or as if on an axis.

2. to proceed in a fixed routine of succession.

   The sentries rotated in keeping watch.

rotate ² American  

[roh-teyt] / ˈroʊ teɪt /

adjective

1. wheel-shaped: applied especially to a gamopetalous short-tubed corolla with a spreading limb.

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rotate British  

verb

1. to turn or cause to turn around an axis, line, or point; revolve or spin

2. to follow or cause to follow a set order or sequence

3. (of a position, presidency, etc) to pass in turn from one eligible party to each of the other eligible parties

4. (of staff) to replace or be replaced in turn

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adjective

1. botany designating a corolla the united petals of which radiate from a central point like the spokes of a wheel

Synonym Usage

See turn.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrotatable
  adjective
• nonrotating
  adjective
• rotatable
  adjective
• unrotated
  adjective
• unrotating
  adjective
• rotatably
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• rotating
  present
• rotated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• rotate
  simple
• rotates
  simple
• have rotated
  perfect
• has rotated
  perfect
• am rotating
  progressive
• are rotating
  progressive
• is rotating
  progressive
• have been rotating
  perfect progressive
• has been rotating
  perfect progressive

Past

• rotated
  simple
• had rotated
  perfect
• was rotating
  progressive
• were rotating
  progressive
• had been rotating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will rotate
  simple
• will have rotated
  perfect
• will be rotating
  progressive
• will have been rotating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of rotate¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from Latin rotātus (past participle of rotāre “to cause to spin, roll, move in a circle”), equivalent to rot(a) “wheel” + -ātus -ate ¹

Origin of rotate²

1775–85; < Latin rot ( a ) wheel + -ate ¹

Explanation

Rotate means to circle around a center point. Wheels on a car rotate, planets rotate, and if you're an ice skater, you rotate on the blade of a skate when you do your spins. Rotate can also mean that you take turns performing a job. If you, Jim, and Shelia all got the same amount of votes in the class election, you could rotate the role of treasurer, meaning the position would pass from one to another in a regular pattern. Rotate can also refer to other things that are passed along in a regular order. You might rotate lawn duties with your brother — that means you mow the lawn one week and he mows it the next.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rotate rotates rotated rotating

As winds rotate in a clockwise direction around high pressure, this will result in a northerly airflow pushing across the UK.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

Their results also offer broader insight into how moving fluids push, twist, and rotate physical structures.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

And because the cars can rotate 360 degrees, Universal can in theory direct rider yells away from the studio below and the neighborhood nearby.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

When his team tried to rotate out after its two-week mission, they were denied permission.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

Then with a slight rasp of his canvas skin, he turns his head to me, and his blue button eyes rotate slightly, like binoculars seeking focus.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

SGX’s derivatives platform is deepening as a regional risk management venue as macroeconomic risks increase and capital rotates to Asia, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Traditionally, the UN's top job rotates between different regions.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

When the market rotates, everything you own falls at once.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

It suggests that the fluid rotates in one direction while the sprinkler turns in the opposite direction.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Guessing I did by the way Jupiter rotates in her chair with her eyebrows raised, and Courtney continues to stare at the TV but blinks rapidly for a few seconds before clearing his throat.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

Also returning is All-American quarterback Ava Van Heerde, who rotated with Meier last season to give opposing defenses fits attempting to solve their contrasting but equally effective styles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

Boss Didier Deschamps stuck with Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembele on the right and rotated Barcola and Doue, with both men starting four of France's eight World Cup matches, but never in the same game.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Researchers have developed a way to make twisted oxide materials over much larger areas while maintaining precise control over how their layers are rotated.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

European stocks added to a clutch of record highs in the last session, as investors rotated out of under-fire chip stocks and toward more defensive sectors on the continent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

Shadow pushed the gurney, and the supports snapped up, the wheels rotated, and the gurney rolled right on to the floor of the hearse.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

The rotating forces improved their performance, as they became more adept at dispersing and concealing themselves and using electronic warfare, said the Army official.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Many households on the Caribbean island have been split into two groups - with each having their water supply shut off for 48 hours on a rotating basis.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

Basically, investors have continued rotating among different sectors and styles instead of exiting stocks altogether.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

He is now starting a new role as a rotating anchor on two of Fox’s local L.A. news stations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

His space-time had the curious property that the whole universe was rotating.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Related Words

• pivot
• revolve
• spin
• swivel
• twirl
• twist
• whirl