Definition of perturbation
1 : the action of perturbing : the state of being perturbed
2 : a disturbance of motion, course, arrangement, or state of equilibrium; especially : a disturbance of the regular and usually elliptical course of motion of a celestial body that is produced by some force additional to that which causes its regular motion
Read the Latest from M-W
Examples of perturbation in a Sentence
a perturbation in the planet's orbit
in her perturbation she kept calling her son, a freshman, to see if everything was all right at college
Recent Examples of perturbation from the Web
-
The perturbations resulting from gravitational interaction between planet and star are what have enabled astronomers to find planets outside our solar system.
-
That’s obviously impossible for humans to perceive, but LIGO’s detectors are so sensitive that even such tiny perturbations can’t escape their laser eyes.
-
Soon that perturbation finds a sudden and disturbing practical correlate.
-
The perturbations in the magnetic field were similar to what astronomers have observed around objects with thin atmospheres.
-
This frequency is: Here ν is the frequency of the perturbation and h is a constant (the Planck constant).
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'perturbation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of perturbation
14th century
PERTURBATION Defined for English Language Learners
perturbation
playDefinition of perturbation for English Language Learners
-
: a change in the normal state or regular movement of something
-
: the state of being worried or upset
Learn More about perturbation
-
See words that rhyme with perturbation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for perturbation Britannica English: Translation of perturbation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about perturbation
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up perturbation? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!