Revolve-Rotate | Commonly Confused Words

Revolve

/rɪˈvɒlv/

To move in a circular path around a central point

The debate continued to revolve around funding issues.Planets revolve around stars in vast orbits.My thoughts often revolve around futuristic ideas.

/rəʊˈteɪt/

To turn around a central point or axis.

The planet takes 24 hours to rotate completely.Rotate the image clockwise to fit the frame.Astronauts train in a chair that can rotate 360 degrees.

Both revolve and rotate involve circular movement, but they occur in different contexts.
When something revolves, it moves in a circle around an external axis, like the Earth revolving around the Sun.
When something rotates, it spins around its own internal axis, like the Earth rotating on its axis which gives us day and night.
Remember that revolve often involves a larger circle and a larger system, whereas rotate concerns spinning in place.
Think of revolve as orbiting an outside point and rotate as spinning in place.