gravitational wave

noun

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of gravitational wave

: a hypothetical wave held to travel at the speed of light and to propagate the gravitational field

Recent Examples of gravitational wave from the Web

For instance, understanding the density and distribution of black holes in the galactic center could help researchers understand when and how often gravitational waves—the massive energy bursts produced when two black holes collide—are created.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "The Center of the Milky Way May Be Chock-Full of Black Holes," 6 Apr. 2018
The discover offers a new test bed for understanding the ripples in space-time known as gravitational waves.

— National Geographic, "Thousands of Black Holes May Lurk at the Galaxy's Center," 4 Apr. 2018
The occasional merger of neutron stars literally shakes the universe by sending out gravitational waves (illustrated above), but these events may also be the main source of gold and other heavy elements in the Milky Way, a new study suggests.

— sid perkins, Science | AAAS, "Neutron star mergers may create much of the universe’s gold," 20 Mar. 2018
The nine-minute film/experience flings you into the cosmos to become an active participant in a billion-years-ago formation of a gravitational wave.

— sam machkovech, Ars Technica, "VR headsets have become the new arthouse—the best of SXSW’s fantastic VR festival," 18 Mar. 2018
The theory behind gravitational waves — suggested by Einstein — didn’t win science’s highest honor until there were direct observations of the faint ripples in space and time.

— Washington Post, "Lack of evidence put Hawking’s Nobel hopes in black hole," 14 Mar. 2018
What’s more, the discovery of gravitational waves in 2016 all but confirmed black holes’ existence.

— National Geographic, "Stephen Hawking's Most Provocative Moments, From Evil Aliens to Black Hole Wagers," 14 Mar. 2018
The discovery of gravitational waves in 2016 was hailed as a triumph of Einstein’s theory, the confirmation of a prediction made in 1916.

— NBC News, "Einstein made his share of errors. Here are three of the biggest," 14 Mar. 2018
Yet only now can scientists turn an ear to gravitational waves as well, thanks to LIGO and Virgo.

— lee billings, Scientific American, "Better Instruments Give Scientists a New Way to Study the Cosmos," 1 Jan. 2018

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