orbit 1 of 2

noun

Definition of orbitnext
as in loop

Related Words

Relevance

orbit

2 of 2

verb

as in to circle
to travel completely around the moon orbits the Earth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun orbit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of orbit are compass, gamut, range, scope, and sweep. While all these words mean "the extent that lies within the powers of something (as to cover or control)," orbit suggests an often circumscribed range of activity or influence within which forces work toward accommodation.

within that restricted orbit they tried to effect social change

When might compass be a better fit than orbit?

In some situations, the words compass and orbit are roughly equivalent. However, compass implies a sometimes limited extent of perception, knowledge, or activity.

your concerns lie beyond the narrow compass of this study

Where would gamut be a reasonable alternative to orbit?

The words gamut and orbit can be used in similar contexts, but gamut suggests a graduated series running from one possible extreme to another.

a performance that ran the gamut of emotions

When can range be used instead of orbit?

The words range and orbit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, range is a general term indicating the extent of one's perception or the extent of powers, capacities, or possibilities.

the entire range of human experience

In what contexts can scope take the place of orbit?

Although the words scope and orbit have much in common, scope is applicable to an area of activity, predetermined and limited, but somewhat flexible.

as time went on, the scope of the investigation widened

When would sweep be a good substitute for orbit?

The meanings of sweep and orbit largely overlap; however, sweep suggests extent, often circular or arc-shaped, of motion or activity.

the book covers the entire sweep of criminal activity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of orbit
Noun
Processing that information in orbit can reduce the amount of raw data that has to be transmitted to Earth, where space-to-ground communications capacity can become a bottleneck. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026 Starship is expected to be able to deliver more than 100 tons to low Earth orbit (LEO). — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
This experimental, eclipse-creating coronagraph will allow Roman to directly image any planet, however faint, that might be orbiting the masked star. — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 Roman could also provide the first definitive proof of exomoons, or moons orbiting exoplanets. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for orbit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for orbit
  1. loop
  2. circle
  3. circuit
  4. traverse
  5. trajectory
  6. path
  7. route
Noun
  • Long before feedback control, engineers relied on open-loop systems — and still do.
    — Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The ride reaches speeds of 72 mph, the fastest coaster in Universal’s global portfolio, while traversing 4,100 feet of track, two towering inverted loops and a pretzel loop.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of loop
Verb
  • Military helicopter circled overhead, searching for survivors, assessing the disaster and mapping out possible rescue and evacuation routes.
    — Shristi Kafle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Attendees may make a habit of circling conflicts and calculating whether ten minutes of one set is worth the hike before another begins.
    — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of circle
Noun
  • Silvester envisions his new Q-Class association eventually leading to a global racing circuit, comprising Victoria and Q7’s six remaining slots for new builds.
    — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The company adds some 30 to 60 movies to its catalog annually, most of them lost gems of world cinema, festival-circuit darlings, or old Hollywood hits.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of circuit
Verb
  • And while Jonas is no stranger to traversing the nation, often on a tour bus, he may not have been accustomed to the way it was done on the commercial’s set.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The ride reaches speeds of 72 mph, the fastest coaster in Universal’s global portfolio, while traversing 4,100 feet of track, two towering inverted loops and a pretzel loop.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of traverse
Noun
  • At 27, considering his Hall of Fame trajectory, Jefferson’s goals are understandably lofty.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • At a postlaunch press conference, NASA officials noted that the performance of the rocket that took the telescope to space was so picture-perfect that Roman will likely need fewer trajectory adjustments than planned.
    — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of trajectory
Noun
  • Her path is profoundly reshaped by an encounter with Mari (Okamoto), a Japanese theater director battling cancer.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Security camera footage shows the shocking moment flood water crashes through the Nepal-China border area, with people seen running away as the water appears to wipe out everything in its path.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of path
Noun
  • Check the requirement, confirm the route, draft the plan, or ask one better question.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Together, Jaybush, Brad Chambers, and the American Heavy Moving team figured out a route through the city that avoided street trees, tight turns, and roads that run above old, fragile sewer pipes, which aren’t rated for heavy loads.
    — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of route

Browse Nearby Words

orb
orbit
orbited
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Orbit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/orbit. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on orbit

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about orbit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All