Gravity
/ˈɡrævɪti/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe force of attraction between objects with mass.
/ˈɡrævɪti/
The force that attracts a body towards the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass.
The force of gravity keeps the planets in orbit around the sun.
💡 Simply: Gravity is like an invisible string that pulls things towards each other. The bigger something is, the stronger the pull! Like when you drop a ball, gravity pulls it down. Without it, we’d all float away!
👶 For kids: Gravity is like a pull that makes things fall down, like when you drop your toys on the floor!
More Examples
The astronauts felt weightlessness because they were far away from Earth's gravity.
The gravity of the situation was not lost on him; he knew the consequences could be dire.
How It's Used
"Newton's law of universal gravity explains the force between two objects with mass."
"Astronauts experience reduced gravity in space."
The quality of being serious or important; the state of affairs that constitutes a crisis.
/ˈɡrævɪti/
Seriousness or importance.
He spoke with great gravity about the impending crisis.
💡 Simply: When something has gravity, it’s like a big deal. Imagine you have a problem. If it has gravity, it means it’s really serious and you need to fix it.
👶 For kids: When something has gravity, it means it's very important or serious.
More Examples
The gravity of the situation was not lost on anyone.
The meeting was held with a sense of gravity because they were discussing a serious issue.
How It's Used
"The gravity of the situation became clear as the evidence mounted."
"The leaders understood the gravity of the economic crisis."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
the law of gravity
The scientific principle that explains the force of attraction between objects with mass. Also sometimes used figuratively for unavoidable consequences or realities.
"According to the law of gravity, anything that goes up must come down."
gravitational pull
The force of attraction exerted by a massive object.
"The moon's gravitational pull affects the tides."
From Middle English gravite, from Old French gravité, from Latin gravitas (“weight, heaviness, importance”), from gravis (“heavy, weighty”).
The concept of gravity, though not fully understood, was discussed by ancient philosophers. The modern understanding comes from the work of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.
Memory tip
Think of a heavy object falling to the ground – that's gravity pulling it down.
Word Origin
"weight, heaviness"