GRAVITATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gravitate mean? 

• GRAVITATE (verb)
  The verb GRAVITATE has 3 senses:

1. move toward

2. be attracted to

3. move due to the pull of gravitation

  Familiarity information: GRAVITATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GRAVITATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gravitate    ... he / she / it gravitates   
Past simple: gravitated   
Past participle: gravitated   
-ing form: gravitating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move toward

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The conversation gravitated towards politics

Hypernyms (to "gravitate" is one way to...):

be given; incline; lean; run; tend (have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

gravitation (a figurative movement toward some attraction)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be attracted to

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

Boys gravitate towards girls at that age

Hypernyms (to "gravitate" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

gravitation (a figurative movement toward some attraction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move due to the pull of gravitation

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The stars gravitate towards each other

Hypernyms (to "gravitate" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

gravitation (movement downward resulting from gravitational attraction)

gravitation ((physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface)

gravitative (of or relating to or caused by gravitation)

gravity ((physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface)