superheated

adjective

su·​per·​heat·​ed ˈsü-pər-ˌhē-təd How to pronounce superheated (audio)
ˌsü-pər-ˈhē-
1
: subjected to superheating
2
: very hot
also : exceedingly emotional or intense
superheated debate

Examples of superheated in a Sentence

certain superheated liquids change to gas with almost explosive violence a superheated, rancorous argument on how the child should be raised
Recent Examples on the Web Our sun, like all stars, is a giant ball of superheated plasma. Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2024 That's because the magnetic fields of the contracting stars collect and concentrate leftover material at the poles (a superheated plasma), and then eject them into space as concentrated beams of energy. Max Bennett, Discover Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024 The superheated vapor then moves through an indoor coil, where fans blow air across it, moving heat into the home. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2024 That nearby gas and plasma can also help reveal how feasting black holes create extreme cosmic structures such as relativistic jets — gigantic beams of superheated plasma accelerated to nearly the speed of light. Michael Greshko, Quanta Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 This is western Loudoun County, Va., where the superheated suburban development of the D.C. area runs headlong into a picturesque rural enclave that’s been defined by farms and horses for 300 years. Jayne Orenstein, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024 Other companies could add to the haul, with federal researchers estimating last year that the superheated brine deep beneath the Salton Sea contains enough lithium to fuel 382 million electric-vehicle batteries. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Other metals were laid down on the ocean floor over eons by hydrothermal vents, which spew superheated, mineral-rich fluids. Todd Woody, Fortune Europe, 13 Jan. 2024 Put simply, superheated plasma was being tested as fuel, but the temperatures melted any sort of solid container, so the experiments used nonmaterial vessels formed from extremely powerful magnetic fields. Werner Herzog, The New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'superheated.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of superheated was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near superheated

Cite this Entry

“Superheated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superheated. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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