centrifugal force

noun

Definition of centrifugal force

: the apparent force that is felt by an object moving in a curved path that acts outwardly away from the center of rotation — compare centripetal force

Examples of centrifugal force in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its rotors experience centrifugal forces that deform them against the apex seals lining the combustion chambers, which improves the sealing of those chambers. — Matthew Jancer, Popular Mechanics, "The Rhombus Rotary Engine: Can a Quirky New Design Top the Famous Wankel?," 18 Jan. 2019 When the engine spins fast enough, centrifugal force overwhelms the springs and pushes them into the drum, pulling it and the chain along. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "Watch Us Take Apart a Chainsaw Into 297 Pieces," 24 June 2015 Engineering solutions around this problem will be key to successfully implementing technology in space—with one possibility being using centrifugal forces from rotation of a spacecraft to separate the gases from the solution. — Charles W. Dunnill, Scientific American, "Method of Making Oxygen from Water in Zero Gravity Raises Hope for Long-Distance Space Travel," 10 July 2018 The design lets the tires hurl water away via centrifugal force. — Andrew Moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Goodyear Made Spherical MagLev Tires That Are Totally Nuts," 3 Mar. 2016 Meanwhile, the centrifugal force of grief pulled the family apart. — Michael Paterniti, GQ, "Dragonman, the Man Who Sells “People-Hunting Guns”," 7 Mar. 2018 The driver’s considerable skills and centrifugal force are keeping you on the track. — Bill Pennington, New York Times, "In Lake Placid, Olympic Sports and Spirit," 24 Jan. 2018 The special wheels are necessary because the centrifugal force generated from the high speeds would fling rubber tires off the rims. — CBS News, "New land-speed record eyed by U.S. team in Nevada desert," 26 Jan. 2018 The centrifugal forces pulling Europe apart would finally overwhelm the centripetal forces binding it together. — Simon Nixon, WSJ, "How the EU Survived the Populist Wave in 2017," 17 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'centrifugal force.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.