telescope

noun, often attributive

tele·scope | \ ˈte-lə-ˌskōp

Definition of telescope

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a usually tubular optical instrument for viewing distant objects by means of the refraction of light rays through a lens or the reflection of light rays by a concave mirror — compare reflector, refractor

2 : any of various tubular magnifying optical instruments

3 : radio telescope

telescope

verb

telescoped; telescoping

Definition of telescope (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to become forced together lengthwise with one part entering another as the result of collision

2 : to slide or pass one within another like the cylindrical sections of a collapsible hand telescope

3 : to become compressed or condensed

transitive verb

1 : to cause to telescope

2 : compress, condense

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about telescope

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Examples of telescope in a Sentence

Noun

The rings of Saturn can be seen through a telescope.

Verb

for dramatic purposes, the film telescopes the years over which the events occurred into a few short months

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Because their shapes are very different from a spherical planet, synestias would cast unusual shadows on our telescopes. — Simon J. Lock, Scientific American, "When Earth and the Moon Were One," 2 July 2019 Grabbing her telescope for a closer look, the young girl noticed something else: The man behind the wheel was nearly naked. — Wendy Grossman Kantor, EW.com, "Who killed the Masked Marvel?," 27 June 2019 In his extraordinary sketches, Leonardo often leaped to the future; Galileo, born in 1564, several decades after Leonardo’s death, turned his telescope to the skies. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "See where Leonardo da Vinci still walks the streets," 6 June 2019 Photos taken by his primary 16-inch telescope were out of focus and provided values more consistent with Newton. — Devin Powell, Discover Magazine, "How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Made Einstein the World's Most Famous Scientist," 24 May 2019 This event will have short talks about the sun, tours of the buildings, and safe viewing of sunspots and solar flares from their 1845 telescope. — Briana Rice, Cincinnati.com, "5 Father's Day things to do with your dad in Cincinnati," 14 June 2019 After the dawn of the new millennium, the SETI Institute built its own telescope in partnership with Berkeley, funded by the late Paul Allen. — Sarah Scoles, WIRED, "The WIRED Guide to Aliens," 5 June 2019 His team arrived, armed with telescopes and cameras and glass photographic plates, just as war broke out. — Devin Powell, Discover Magazine, "How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Made Einstein the World's Most Famous Scientist," 24 May 2019 That said, pinpointing the waves' origins in the sky proved challenging, which is complicating follow-up measurements with telescopes. — National Geographic, "The universe seems to be expanding faster than all expectations," 25 Apr. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Each additional observatory makes that equivalent telescope bigger and more sensitive. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Behind the Scenes of the First Black Hole Photo," 12 Apr. 2019 The red steel pillars of the station hurtled by, and then the grotty cavern walls of the tunnel, its bare light bulbs and heavy cables telescoping past. — William Finnegan, The New Yorker, "Can Andy Byford Save the Subways?," 2 July 2018 Justices are already considering another appeal challenging the state land board’s decision to allow the University of Hawaii to sublease mountaintop land to telescope builders. — Washington Post, "Giant telescope project before Hawaii Supreme Court again," 21 June 2018 The vehicle is heavily armed, with a 40-millimeter gun firing cased telescoped ammunition. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "France’s New Armored Car Does Not Mess Around," 17 May 2018 That car, which bowed in 1989, was priced well below its competitors and offered Japanese reliability alongside new features such as an automatic tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and power-adjustable seat belts. — Daniel Miller, latimes.com, "The Genesis G90 is a luxurious opening act for the new brand — and definitely not a Hyundai," 11 May 2018 The adaptation by Ursula Rani Sarma effectively telescopes the epic plot. — Charles Mcnulty, latimes.com, "The women of 'A Thousand Splendid Suns,' casting a spell onstage," 5 June 2018 The restaurant has become very popular very quickly with a combination of good food, reasonable pricing and a casual but celebratory interior that telescopes the experience. — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle, "Gran Electrica in Napa: Mexican cuisine straight outta Brooklyn," 31 May 2018 Cased telescoped ammo, in which the projectile is fully enclosed in a shell casing, is only now coming into common use with modern armies and results in a more compact projectile. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "France’s New Armored Car Does Not Mess Around," 17 May 2018

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