gravitational wave

noun

: a disturbance in space-time in the form of a wave that propagates the gravitational field

Gravitational waves are a natural offshoot of the rubber-sheet construction of general relativity. Just as a massive object sitting on the fabric of spacetime creates a dimple, so moving or changing objects, under certain conditions, create wrinkles in the fabric. Those wrinkles, tiny distortions in spacetime, zoom away at the speed of light. Because these gravitational waves carry energy, anything emitting them will lose a tiny bit of its speed.—

Science

Examples of gravitational wave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Supermassive black holes orbiting around each other can emit gravitational waves. —

Jonathan Zrake, Discover Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024 And so the same thing happens for gravitational waves. —

Janna Levin, Quanta Magazine, 29 Aug. 2024 Lundquist opened his email app to see the details of LIGO’s gravitational wave alert. —

IEEE Spectrum, 28 Aug. 2019 The probes will follow more than 30 million miles behind Earth as our planet orbits the sun while relaying signals back and forth that, when combined, search for gravitational wave signatures. —

Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gravitational wave

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of gravitational wave was in 1906

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gravitational wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravitational%20wave. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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