plural in form but singular or plural in construction
1
: a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions
2
a
: the physical processes and phenomena of a particular system
b
: the physical properties and composition of something
Examples of physics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Never has a rocket’s upper stage been safely returned from orbit, in part because the jarring physics of plunging back into Earth’s atmosphere while traveling more than 17,000 miles per hour can easily rip a vehicle apart if not meticulously planned.
—
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
The original Nobel Prizes — in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace — have been awarded since the turn of the last century, in keeping with the wishes of their namesake, the inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Feasibility under scrutiny Apart from the light pollution concerns, the physics of reflecting sunlight from orbit reveals major challenges to Reflect Orbital’s plan.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
Keith Cooper is a freelance science journalist and editor in the United Kingdom, and has a degree in physics and astrophysics from the University of Manchester.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for physics
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Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
The original Nobel Prizes — in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace — have been awarded since the turn of the last century, in keeping with the wishes of their namesake, the inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Feasibility under scrutiny Apart from the light pollution concerns, the physics of reflecting sunlight from orbit reveals major challenges to Reflect Orbital’s plan.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
Keith Cooper is a freelance science journalist and editor in the United Kingdom, and has a degree in physics and astrophysics from the University of Manchester.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for physics
Cite this Entry
“Physics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physics. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
physics
noun
phys·ics
ˈfiz-iks 
1
: a science that deals with matter and energy and their actions upon each other in the fields of mechanics, heat, light, electricity, sound, and the atomic nucleus
2
: physical composition, characteristics, or processes
the physics of sound
Medical Definition
physics
noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction
phys·ics
ˈfiz-iks
: a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions in the fields of mechanics, acoustics, optics, heat, electricity, magnetism, radiation, atomic structure, and nuclear phenomena
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