Definition of magnitude
1a : great size or extent cannot wage a war of such magnitude — A. N. Whitehead the magnitude of an earthquakeb (1) : spatial quality : size able to operate only over distances of very small magnitude — G. W. Gray (2) : quantity, number the savings in amounts of metal … will be of dramatically significant magnitudes — American Fabrics
2 : the importance, quality, or caliber of something evil of such magnitude as must, if possible, be prevented — Jane Austen a writer of first magnitude — Richard Plant
3 : a number representing the intrinsic (see intrinsic 1a) or apparent brightness of a celestial (see 1celestial 2) body on a logarithmic scale in which an increase of one unit corresponds to a reduction in the brightness of light by a factor of 2.512
4 : a numerical quantitative measure expressed usually as a multiple of a standard unit
5 : the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on an arbitrary scale a magnitude six earthquake
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Examples of magnitude in a Sentence
the magnitude of the issue can scarcely be overstated
the mountain's sheer magnitude usually leaves tourists speechless
Recent Examples of magnitude from the Web
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That would bring a crisis of a new order of magnitude.
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While many of us know that fiber is an important part of our diet, not many of us understand the magnitude of the benefit of fiber intake for our overall health.
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But Fowler’s revelations, which occurred after Huffington’s departure from The Huffington Post, represented an ethical failure of a far greater magnitude.
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The largest quake in Montana history was magnitude 7.2 near West Yellowstone in 1959.
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The changes required to deal with shortfalls of that magnitude will be enormous.
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As the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants faced off, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc on the West Coast.
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The magnitude of these cuts and changes to Medicaid is staggering.
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Unfortunately, this phrase will also apply to future corporate crises of the highest magnitude, as Uber has faced an unprecedented series of calamities over the past 90 days.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magnitude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of magnitude
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin magnitudo, from magnus
Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms
MAGNITUDE Defined for English Language Learners
magnitude
playDefinition of magnitude for English Language Learners
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: the size, extent, or importance of something
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: a number that shows the brightness of a star
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: a number that shows the power of an earthquake
MAGNITUDE Defined for Kids
magnitude
playDefinition of magnitude for Students
: greatness of size or importance “How can you term an undertaking of such magnitude mere peddling?” — Lloyd Alexander, Time Cat
Medical Dictionary
magnitude
playMedical Definition of magnitude
: relative size or extent
Learn More about magnitude
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See words that rhyme with magnitude Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for magnitude Spanish Central: Translation of magnitude Nglish: Translation of magnitude for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of magnitude for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magnitude
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