frequency

noun

fre·quen·cy | \ ˈfrē-kwən(t)-sē

plural frequencies

Definition of frequency

1 : the fact or condition of occurring frequently the frequency of automobile accidents

2a : the number of times that a periodic function repeats the same sequence of values during a unit variation of the independent variable

b : the number, proportion, or percentage of items in a particular category in a set of data

3 : the number of repetitions of a periodic process in a unit of time: such as

a : the number of complete alternations (see alternation sense 1) per second of an alternating current

b : the number of complete oscillations (see oscillation sense 3) per second of energy (such as sound or electromagnetic radiation) in the form of waves

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about frequency

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Examples of frequency in a Sentence

the alarming frequency of serious automobile accidents caused by young drivers The frequency of student errors was frustrating to the young teacher. Our visits decreased in frequency. Errors were occurring with increasing frequency. a sound wave of high frequency waves having very different frequencies from one another a current having a frequency of 60 hertz a radio frequency of 30 megahertz

Recent Examples on the Web

The directions of the spokes radiating from the center represent the compass orientations of the streets, while the lengths of the spokes represent the relative frequency of the streets following those bearings, Boeing said in a blog post. — Martin Finucane, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston’s streets do go in all sorts of directions. These charts prove it," 12 July 2018 The frequency of these complaints raises questions about how seriously the company is taking its past vows to review third party sellers. — Chris Morris, Fortune, "Walmart Was Once Again Forced to Pull an Offensive Shirt From Its Website," 12 July 2018 The severity of that damage wholly depends on how well your skin is able to repair itself, the kind of scrubs used, and the frequency and intensity of use. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "Are You Exfoliating Your Face Wrong?," 11 July 2018 The results of one model simulation suggests that droughts, major rainstorms and more rapid polar ice melting might be reduced by changing the places and the frequency of injections. — John Fialka, Scientific American, "The Best Way to Shade Earth," 5 July 2018 The amount and frequency of watering will vary depending on the soil conditions in your garden and weather conditions. — Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Missed the spring planting season? It's not too late to plant.," 2 July 2018 But the legal fight was only half the battle: Uber was facing growing public unease due to the frequency of scandals the business was embroiled in, protests from labor unions and the city’s traditional black-cab industry, and political headwinds. — Nate Lanxon, The Seattle Times, "Uber CEO Khosrowshahi launched a charm offensive to win over London," 26 June 2018 The semi-arid country is accustomed to periods of drought, but Mesimeris said the frequency of these dry conditions is expected to increase over the next decade. — NBC News, "Cyprus turns off taps to farmers as fresh water levels drop," 22 June 2018 The frequency of interaction in couples separated by distance needs to correlate to the same parameters of interaction when both are at home. — Jo Piazza, Time, "How to Make a Long-Distance Relationship Work, According to Experts," 19 June 2018

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