pivot
noun
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Definition of pivot
(Entry 1 of 3)
pivot
adjectiveDefinition of pivot (Entry 2 of 3)
pivot
verbDefinition of pivot (Entry 3 of 3)
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Other Words from pivot
Verb
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adjective
Synonyms for pivot
Synonyms: Noun
bottom line, bull's-eye, centerpiece, core, crux, essence, gist, heart, kernel, keynote, meat, meat and potatoes, net, nub, nubbin, nucleus, pith, point, root, sum
Synonyms: Verb
revolve, roll, rotate, spin, swing, swirl, swivel, turn, twirl, twist, wheel, whirl
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Examples of pivot in a Sentence
Noun
an issue that is the real pivot of the controversyVerb
The dancers pivoted on their toes and changed direction. The door hinge pivots around the pin. The quarterback pivoted and threw the ball to the running back.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Then the power blocker who refuses to be easily profiled pivots to his culinary touch. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Column: Baking, lacrosse-playing center Keith Ismael key for Aztecs football in 2019," 3 Aug. 2019 Stick a turkey on your head, peek through Rachel and Monica’s purple door, relax on Chandler and Joey’s recliner after playing some foosball, help Ross with the infamous sofa pivot, or look through Phoebe’s favorite things. — Lauren Huff, EW.com, "Special 25th anniversary Friends pop-up opening in New York City," 29 July 2019 Third-line center Charlie Coyle might even get a look, if another bottom-six pivot (Trent Frederic?) knocked loudly enough. — Matt Porter, BostonGlobe.com, "Projecting the 2019-20 Bruins depth chart: mid-July edition," 18 July 2019 The two won’t be alone on stage, of course, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has made his campaign all about climate change, and is preparing to answer almost any question thrown at him with an environmental pivot, which in Miami will be likely. — Vera Bergengruen / Miami, Time, "Winning the First Debate? Elizabeth Warren Has a Plan for That," 26 June 2019 The resulting trouble, peculiarly, pivots on her unfaithfulness to her husband (John Lithgow) rather than on her potential abuse of power in a relationship with an employee. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, "“Late Night,” Reviewed: Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling’s Incisive Comedy about the Gender Politics of TV," 6 June 2019 Then, of course, there are all the things that legs are expected to do in the course of movement: cuts, pivots, turns. — Natasha Frost, Quartz, "An artificially intelligent, open-source bionic leg could change the future of prosthetics," 5 June 2019 The pivot to deficits To actually believe that Obama-era Republican leaders cared about the federal budget deficit required one to ignore those exact same leaders’ prior conduct during George W. Bush’s administration. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Thursday’s budget deal proves once again Republicans never cared about the deficit," 1 Aug. 2019 Yet, there is also a concern that the pivot may have come too late in an economic expansion that entered record territory this month. — Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, "As metro Denver home prices continue to rise, one builder’s answer is to go smaller," 28 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Green, however, clearly picked up his left pivot foot first, which was missed and likely should’ve been called a traveling violation. — J. Michael, Indianapolis Star, "Tempers spike in intense rivalry between Pacers, Cavs with Lance Stephenson in middle," 23 Apr. 2018 Struggling to keep her pivot foot at the top of the arc amid a double-team, her shovel pass found a wide-open Sabally for a layup and a 62-46 lead with 7:32 remaining. — Andrew Greif, OregonLive.com, "Ducks women stay put, Beavers move up in AP poll," 22 Jan. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
On the ground floor, a pivoting glass and marble front door gives way to an open-concept floor plan. — Los Angeles Times, "Reggie Bush seeks a $10-million score for sleek Pacific Palisades home," 19 Aug. 2019 Another one of her sons recently sought drug treatment, and Roach has since pivoted her focus to address the homelessness crisis and drug abuse. — Josephine Peterson, The Seattle Times, "Pierce County Council’s Pam Roach won’t seek reelection," 12 Aug. 2019 Gun rights supporters immediately pushed back on anything that could be interpreted as restricting gun ownership, and the Legislature’s Republican majority pivoted to expanding run rights. — Washington Post, "Texas relaxed gun laws after recent mass shootings," 8 Aug. 2019 Hardware makers like Samsung have felt a similar sting, with profits pivoting downward due to a slump in wireless sales. — Xavier Harding, Fortune, "Apple Is Now Letting People Apply for Its Credit Card. Can Its Rewards Spur Sales of the Next iPhone?," 6 Aug. 2019 After pivoting our business development and funding strategies to target strategic partners and investment funds in emerging markets, my startup has raised more capital in the last six months than in the previous four years. — Derrick N. Ashong For Cnn Business Perspectives, CNN, "Entrepreneurs of color are getting passed over by investors. Elizabeth Warren wants to fix that," 2 Aug. 2019 The Party has changed quickly, and many of the candidates on the stage have pivoted mid-career. — Benjamin Wallace-wells, The New Yorker, "At the Democratic Debate, Joe Biden Defends the Party’s Past," 31 July 2019 What was Rubio's market once Indiana pivoted to Brogdon? — Jeremy Cluff, azcentral, "Phoenix Suns' Ricky Rubio deal continues to receive criticism, now from NBA GMs, coaches," 25 July 2019 The ridge is a gigantic relic from millions of years ago, when the neighboring North American and Eurasian continents began pivoting away from each other, twisting and deforming the expanding Arctic Ocean floor. — Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, "Nations Claim Large Overlapping Sections of Arctic Seafloor," 23 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pivot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.