What does "pivot" mean?
A thing on which something turns; specifically a metal pointed pin or short shaft in machinery, such as the end of an axle or spindle.
Pivot
/ˈpɪv.ɪt/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A thing on which something turns; specifically a metal pointed pin or short shaft in machinery, such as the end of an axle or spindle.
- Grammar: pivot is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: about-face, abrupt movement, adjust, anchor.
- Useful contrasts: continue, diversify, edge.
- Usage evidence: Pushing that button will make the object pivot around the y axis.
How to use "pivot"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pivot" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pivot" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pivot" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pivot" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pivot" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "about-face" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pivot", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A thing on which something turns; specifically a metal pointed pin or short shaft in machinery, such as the end of an axle or spindle.
"The weight of the body and the traction and braking forces are taken by the conventional dished bogie centre pivot with phosphor-bronze liner; this type of centre pivot facilitates passage over marshalling yard humps."
- 2 the act of turning on (or as if on) a pivot wordnet
- 3 Something or someone having a paramount significance in a certain situation. broadly, figuratively
"“The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached ; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas.[…]”"
- 4 axis consisting of a short shaft that supports something that turns wordnet
- 5 Act of turning on one foot.
"Sandy Weill was the man who stitched Citigroup together in the 1990s and in the process helped bury the Glass-Steagall act, a Depression-era law separating retail and investment banking. Last month he performed a perfect pivot: he now wants regulators to undo his previous work."
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 the person in a rank around whom the others wheel and maneuver wordnet
- 7 The officer or soldier who simply turns in his place while the company or line moves around him in wheeling.
- 8 A player with responsibility for co-ordinating their team in a particular jam.
- 9 An element of a set to be sorted that is chosen as a midpoint, so as to divide the other elements into two groups to be dealt with recursively.
- 10 A pivot table.
- 11 Any of a row of captioned elements used to navigate to subpages, rather like tabs.
- 12 An element of a matrix that is used as a focus for row operations, such as dividing the row by the pivot, or adding multiples of the row to other rows making all other values in the pivot column 0.
- 13 A pivotal quantity.
- 14 A quarterback. Canadian
- 15 A circle runner.
- 16 A shift during a general election in a political candidate's messaging to reflect plans and values more moderate than those advocated during the primary. US
Verb
- 1 To turn on an exact spot. intransitive
- 2 turn on a pivot wordnet
- 3 To make a sudden or swift change in strategy, policy, etc.; To change the direction of a business, usually in response to changes in the market. slang
"Mr. Shah’s new business has signed up 25 New York City hotels and raised $1.5 million from angel investors and $3 million from a seed round. Yet three months into his new project, he has had to pivot again, realizing that his best customers are large businesses, not individuals."
- 4 To make a sudden or swift change in strategy, policy, etc.; To shift a political candidate's messaging during a general election to reflect plans and values more moderate than those advocated during the primary. US
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Pushing that button will make the object pivot around the y axis."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pivot"?
Common synonyms include: about-face, abrupt movement, adjust, anchor, ankle, arbor.
How do you use "pivot" in a sentence?
Pushing that button will make the object pivot around the y axis.
How do you pronounce "pivot"?
Pronounced /ˈpɪv.ɪt/.
Etymology
From Middle English pevet, *pivot, from Old French pivot (“hinge pin, pivot”) (12th c.), possibly from Latin pūgiō.