brain wave
noun
plural brain waves
1
a
: rhythmic fluctuations of voltage between parts of the brain resulting in the flow of an electric current
b
: a current produced by brain waves
2
: a flash of inspiration : brainstorm sense 1a
Musing over a fireplace in Avignon in 1782 the inventor Joseph-Michel Montgolfier had a brain wave. What if the force lifting the embers from the fire could somehow be controlled and used to carry heavier things, even people?—
Teju Cole
Teju ColeExamples of brain wave in a Sentence
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Binaural Beats Binaural beats, which are becoming increasingly popular online, are songs that feed tones of different frequencies into each ear; the brain then fills in the blank and perceives a third tone, which is thought to elicit calm and brain wave activity.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Dec. 2025
My green-phase EEG showed a big spike in the low-frequency brain waves associated with meditation and creativity.
—Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Loomis categorized the different types of brain waves into what became known as sleep states, and created a nomenclature to describe the phases of unconsciousness.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Brain Wave Changes Girdles, corsets, and other tight shapewear worn around the abdomen can be uncomfortable and affect the body in various ways, one of which is by altering brain waves.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 14 Oct. 2025
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Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 11 Dec. 2025
My green-phase EEG showed a big spike in the low-frequency brain waves associated with meditation and creativity.
—Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Loomis categorized the different types of brain waves into what became known as sleep states, and created a nomenclature to describe the phases of unconsciousness.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Brain Wave Changes Girdles, corsets, and other tight shapewear worn around the abdomen can be uncomfortable and affect the body in various ways, one of which is by altering brain waves.
—Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brain wave
Cite this Entry
“Brain wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20wave. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
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