ori·ent
ˈȯr-ē-ˌent 
oriented; orienting; orients
1
: to direct (something, such as a book or film) toward the interests of a particular group
2
a
: to set right by adjusting to facts or principles
b
: to acquaint with the existing situation or environment
3
a
: to set or arrange in any determinate position especially in relation to the points of the compass
b
: to ascertain the bearings of
c
: to cause to face or point toward the east
specifically
: to build (a church or temple) with the longitudinal axis pointing eastward and the chief altar at the eastern end
4
: to cause the axes of the molecules of (a fiber or material) to assume the same direction
1
Orient
: regions or countries lying to the east of a specified or implied point : the eastern regions or countries of the world : east sense 2
—formerly understood to include regions (such as the Middle East) lying to the east and southeast of southern Europe but now usually understood to refer to regions and countries of eastern Asia
sailed for the Orient
2
a
: a pearl of great luster
b
: the luster of a pearl
3
archaic
: east sense 1b
2
archaic
: oriental sense 1
3
archaic
: rising in the sky
Synonyms
Examples of orient in a Sentence
Verb
The program is intended to orient students toward a career in medicine.
Orient the map so that north is at the top.
The house is oriented so that it faces west.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024
From the start, its founder, Yvon Chouinard, has oriented its business leaders and their decisions around the company’s values of environmentalism and social good.
—Swapna Sathyan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 July 2024
Artificial rotation of the intensity pattern by 180 deg caused beetles to orient in the opposite direction.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2014
Lee Igel, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Deadhead culture later helped LP — who found her stage wardrobe of vintage Dead T-shirts stashed in the crawl space of her parents’ house — orient her career around the sense of community that is the core of not just the jam world, but the dance world, too.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for orient 
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.
Verb
But that logic can escape state transportation executives oriented toward longer, intercity trips instead of shorter, intracity ones, as well as highway engineers trained to focus on maximizing the speed of all vehicles, regardless of how many people are inside them.
—David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024
From the start, its founder, Yvon Chouinard, has oriented its business leaders and their decisions around the company’s values of environmentalism and social good.
—Swapna Sathyan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
The two together become symbolic: the gray or blue jacket reminds us of a common class background; the distinctive pattern of the tie orients us toward the wearer’s unique identity.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 6 July 2024
Artificial rotation of the intensity pattern by 180 deg caused beetles to orient in the opposite direction.
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2014
Adjective
As the Browns orient toward moving to Brook Park, Cleveland’s downtown will continue to host major professional sports teams at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, home arena of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, and Progressive Field, home ballpark of MLB’s Cleveland Guardians.
—Lee Igel, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
Deadhead culture later helped LP — who found her stage wardrobe of vintage Dead T-shirts stashed in the crawl space of her parents’ house — orient her career around the sense of community that is the core of not just the jam world, but the dance world, too.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for orient
Dictionary Entries Near orient
Cite this Entry
“Orient.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orient. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
orient
transitive verb
ori·ent
ˈōr-ē-ˌent, ˈȯr-
1
: to set or arrange in any determinate position especially in relation to the points of the compass
2
: to acquaint with or adjust according to the existing situation or environment
3
: to cause the axes of the molecules of to assume the same direction
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share