electromagnet

noun

elec·​tro·​mag·​net i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nət How to pronounce electromagnet (audio)
: a core of magnetic material (such as iron) surrounded by a coil of wire through which an electric current is passed to magnetize the core

Examples of electromagnet 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.
Massimini and his colleagues are applying a procedure called transcranial magnetic stimulation, which uses electromagnets placed on the head, as a possible technique for assessing consciousness. Mariana Lenharo & Nature Magazine, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2025 What To Know The Maglev line was planned to connect Baltimore to Washington D.C. with a journey time of less than 15 minutes using magnetic levitation, a technique that sees trains held above the track by electromagnets removing the friction associated with traditional wheels. James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Aug. 2025 These accidents have happened in the past: In 2001, a 6-year-old boy was killed during an MRI at a hospital in Valhalla, New York, after a metal oxygen tank flew across the room when the machine’s electromagnet turned on. Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 20 July 2025 The reactors use the superconducting tape, which is typically made of yttrium barium copper oxide, in powerful electromagnets. IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for electromagnet

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of electromagnet was in 1821

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Cite this Entry

“Electromagnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/electromagnet. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

electromagnet

noun
elec·​tro·​mag·​net i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nət How to pronounce electromagnet (audio)
: a core of magnetic material (as soft iron) surrounded by a coil of wire through which an electric current is passed to magnetize the core

Medical Definition

electromagnet

noun
elec·​tro·​mag·​net i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nət How to pronounce electromagnet (audio)
: a core of magnetic material surrounded by a coil of wire through which an electric current is passed to magnetize the core

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