pivot
Change direction or strategy while maintaining a central focus
Examples
In a meeting
“We need to pivot our marketing strategy based on this customer feedback.”
Over coffee
“I was planning to study law, but I'm going to pivot to business school instead.”
Why this word
turn
Pivot implies rotation around a fixed central point, while turn is more general and lacks the anchored quality
shift
Pivot suggests a strategic directional change while maintaining a core element, while shift implies broader movement without a fixed point
change
Pivot indicates a specific reorientation around a central axis or strategy, while change is vaguer about the nature of the transformation
Usage tip
Use when describing a significant directional change that keeps some core element intact
Etymology
French 'pivot' (pin or hinge on which something turns)
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Related words
circumvent
To find a way around an obstacle or restriction.
revamp
To give new and improved form, structure, or appearance to something.
deteriorate
To become progressively worse over time.
backtrack
To reverse a previous decision or statement
revert
To return to a previous state or practice
proliferate
To increase rapidly in number; multiply