arc

1 of 5

noun

ˈärk

plural arcs

Synonyms of arc next

: the apparent path described above and below the horizon by a celestial body (such as the sun)

: something arched or curved

: a curved path

the arc of a fly ball

basketball : three-point line

At week's end he was shooting 40.0% from behind the arc and averaging 19.6 points.—

Phil Taylor

: a sustained luminous discharge of electricity across a gap in a circuit or between electrodes

also : arc lamp

: a continuous portion (as of a circle or ellipse) of a curved line

: degree measurement on the circumference of a circle

—used especially in the phrase of arc

11 minutes 3 seconds of arc

: a continuous progression or line of development

a story's dramatic arc

arc

2 of 5

verb

arced ˈärkt

; arcing ˈär-kiŋ

intransitive verb

: to form an electric arc (see arc entry 1 sense 3)

: to follow an arc-shaped course

The ball arced across the sky.

transitive verb

: to throw, hit, or kick (something, such as a ball) on a high, arc-shaped course

After driving into the long rough, he reached for a 4-wood and arced the ball just wide of the green.—

Jeff Shain

arc

3 of 5

adjective

mathematics

: inverse sense 2

—used with the trigonometric functions and hyperbolic functions

ARC

4 of 5

abbreviation

AIDS-related complex

American Red Cross

ARC

5 of 5

abbreviation or noun

ˌā-ˌär-ˈsē

plural ARCs

: a copy of a printed work (such as a novel or textbook) sent as a promotion prior to the official release

First, I receive a box of paperback, smaller versions of my book called advance reader copies (ARCs).—

Susan Van Kirk

While some houses like Chronicle Books continued to sell on the show floor, albeit at 50% discount, many publishers offered free ARCs …—

Judith Rosen

Example Sentences

Noun He bent the twig into an arc. The ball floated in a high arc. Verb The arrow arced through the air. A light arced across the sky. The island chain arcs from north to south.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

From superhero to child killer to intergalactic enforcer, Vader's arc leads him to want to rule the galaxy with his son by his side, though Luke doesn't turn like his father when given the chance. —

Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 May 2023 The arc of Seid’s personal life lies entirely in Chicago. —

Nina Burleigh, The New Republic, 16 May 2023 There's Miranda's arc with stand-up comic and podcaster Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), another surprise lightning rod among the fandom from season 1. —

Nick Romano, EW.com, 9 May 2023 Poole went 6-for-11 from beyond the arc in that first game, but is 0-for-8 since then. —

Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 May 2023 According to this theory, the garnet found in the magmas beneath continental arc volcanoes is removing non-oxidized iron from the Earth’s terrestrial plates. —

Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 May 2023 Riders nimbly change ponies on the sidelines in seconds by swooping from one saddle to another in a graceful arc. —

Holly Peterson, New York Times, 3 May 2023 These are two big shows about a man that are crafted as a two-hander, with very strong, complicated, dynamic female characters who ultimately have more interesting arcs than the male characters. —

Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2023 The 33-year-old guard didn’t find much success inside the arc in the first round, looking ineffective at the rim while making just 7 of his 30 shots in the paint (23.3 percent). —

Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Apr. 2023

Verb

The tall, arcing element of Tatum Scales and its squatty companion evoke traditional African decorative geometries — and, well, a female breast. —

Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 26 May 2023 Made just this year specifically for the ICA, #00, is white, with crystals embedded in rough hide; its sharp, arcing ribs fix its occupant in place like a specimen on a table. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 25 May 2023 Boxwoods and azaleas frame the goddess Diana sculpture fronted by arcing fountains and graceful grass steps. —

Robin Soslow, Chron, 13 May 2023 Basketballs with too much air arcing toward distant hoops about the width of a dinner plate. —

Dan Barry, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2023 The innovative sport bar that arcs over the back is made of carbon fiber and steel and incorporates steps on both sides. —

Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 30 Mar. 2023 The most recent polls have Charles hovering somewhere steadily in the middle, not quite tanking but not quite arcing up either, and the surprisingly brisk coronation weekend just might supply him with a boost in the polls next week. —

Guy Martin, Forbes, 6 May 2023 To keep at arm’s length from air defenses, Ukrainian and Russian attack helicopters often lob unguided rockets in arcing trajectory towards enemy positions rather than direct fire they’re intended for. —

Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 9 Mar. 2023 Then the story arcs the way all such stories must: Britpop goes bust. —

Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arc.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.