orientate

verb

ori·​en·​tate ˈȯr-ē-ən-ˌtāt How to pronounce orientate (audio)
-ˌen-
orientated; orientating

intransitive verb

: to face or turn to the east
situated the church so that it orientates

transitive verb

chiefly British
: orient
she learned to orientate new service members in the principles, practices and tools necessary to function in the Air ForceLancaster New Era

Did you know?

Orientate is a synonym of orient. Both can mean "to cause to face toward the east." The proper noun Orient refers to "the East." The verbs, however, have broader meanings that relate to setting or determining direction or position, either literally or figuratively. Orientate tends to be used more often in British English than it is in American English.

Examples of orientate in a Sentence

a program that helps to orientate new students She needs to orientate herself to her new job.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These include an economic malaise that has gripped the country in recent years, with its car-and-export-orientated economy looking vulnerable, as well as a thorny debate over immigration and integration that has seen the likes of the AfD rise in prominence and popularity. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2025 Our guys have done a great job of orientating their minds in a different way this season. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024 In El Paso, people have opened small businesses orientated to the lowriding community. Fernanda Figueroa and Melissa Perez Winder, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2024 Under Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior has orientated its references towards the classic Bar jackets and circle skirts of the 1950s. Joy Montgomery, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2025 This develops in kittens between 3-9 weeks of age and enables them to orientate themselves mid-air. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025 Our guys have done a great job of orientating their minds in a different way this season. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024 In El Paso, people have opened small businesses orientated to the lowriding community. Fernanda Figueroa and Melissa Perez Winder, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2024 The more iconoclastic Porter has orientated herself as the agent of change — running, to some degree, against the D.C. establishment that Schiff represents. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of orientate was in 1848

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Cite this Entry

“Orientate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orientate. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

orientate

verb
ori·​en·​tate ˈōr-ē-ən-ˌtāt How to pronounce orientate (audio)
ˈȯr-,
-ˌen-
orientated; orientating
: orient
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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