electromagnet

noun

elec·tro·mag·net | \ i-ˌlek-trō-ˈmag-nət

Definition of electromagnet

: 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

Instead of explosives, railguns use powerful electromagnets to fire projectiles as far as 100 nautical miles (115 miles) at seven times the speed of sound. — Eric Baculinao, NBC News, "These Chinese military innovations threaten U.S. superiority, experts say," 17 Feb. 2018 The devices use an electromagnet to excite a phosphor coating, which creates visible light. — Andy Rosen, BostonGlobe.com, "Traditional incandescent bulbs are going away. This company says it has a replacement," 14 Mar. 2018 The power brick also seems to hum when the electromagnets activate, which is not comforting — and surprisingly not an issue unique to this floating product, either. — Jacob Kastrenakes, The Verge, "Levitating gadgets will disappoint you," 12 Apr. 2018 These tiny bots are controlled by precise magnetic fields generated by an array of electromagnets. — NBC News, "These tiny robots could be disease-fighting machines inside the body," 30 Mar. 2018 So the reaction must be contained inside a intense magnetic field generated by electromagnets. — Hiawatha Bray, BostonGlobe.com, "MIT says nuclear fusion as a practical energy source is less than two decades away," 9 Mar. 2018 That turns them into an electromagnet, generating a magnetic field which pushes against an existing field generated by a second set of permanent magnets inside the stator. — The Economist, "Let’s twist againAs electric motors improve, more things are being electrified," 14 Sep. 2017 An ordinary doorbell closes a circuit that activates an electromagnet, which moves a piston to sound a bell. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "You Are Already Living Inside a Computer," 14 Sep. 2017 Resistive magnets are a type of electromagnet used for research. — Gary Fineout, The Seattle Times, "It goes to 11: Florida lab sets new magnet strength record," 22 Aug. 2017

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