Word
pivoting
Phoneticspiv·ot·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɪvətɪŋ/
UK/pˈɪvətɪŋ/
Definition
v. to turn quickly on one central point, like a dancer on one foot. You also use it when a person or business changes plans completely.
v. to rotate around a central point; by extension, to make a fundamental shift in strategy or direction. Common in sports and business contexts for a sharp change of position or focus.
Examples
“She is pivoting on one foot to face the class.”
“The startup is pivoting from food delivery to office catering after losing money.”
“After years writing novels, she is pivoting toward screenwriting, carrying her ear for dialogue into a form that demands tighter scenes.”
Examples
simple
“She is pivoting on one foot to face the class.”
contextual
“The startup is pivoting from food delivery to office catering after losing money.”
complex
“After years writing novels, she is pivoting toward screenwriting, carrying her ear for dialogue into a form that demands tighter scenes.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “pivoting” in context.
Verb
01. force pivot
“Falling sales forced the shop to pivot to online delivery.”
verb + verb
02. pivot from
“She pivoted from teaching to working in software design.”
verb + prep
03. pivot on
“He pivoted on his left foot and threw the ball.”
verb + prep
Adjective
04. pivot quickly
“The dancer pivoted quickly on one foot and faced the crowd.”
verb + adv
05. pivot sharply
“The soldier pivoted sharply when he heard his name called.”
verb + adv
06. pivot smoothly
“She pivoted smoothly past the defender and scored a goal.”
verb + adv
Noun
07. pivot business
“They pivoted the business from shops to e-commerce in months.”
verb + noun
08. pivot focus
“We need to pivot focus towards better customer service.”
verb + noun
09. pivot strategy
“The startup had to pivot strategy to survive the crisis.”
verb + noun
10. decide to pivot careers
“After ten years, she decided to pivot careers and study design.”
11. pivot away from retail
“The brand pivoted away from retail to focus on e-commerce.”
12. pivot on one foot
“The ballet dancer pivoted on one foot with perfect balance.”
Usage
Intransitive; typically followed by 'on' for physical turning and 'to', 'toward' or 'towards' for a change in plans.
Real-World Examples
“So we’re doing better at controlling it than any country in the world.” He then pivoted to blaming the severity of the Pennsylvania outbreak on the state’s Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro.” “He quickly pivots to bring up … wait for it … Josh Frydenberg .” “Chalmers talks about Australia’s triple-A credit rating before quickly pivoting into an attack, taking a stab at Angus Taylor’s attendance at the “far-right conference in Brisbane” over the weekend (he’s referring to CPAC).” “After a misleading super PAC ad about transgender healthcare from the GOP’s Senate Leadership Fund , Brown’s campaign released a counter ad correcting the claim before pivoting to affordability.” Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/pivoting