kinetic energy

noun

: energy associated with motion

Examples of kinetic energy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Illustration: Rhett Allain This data jumps around quite a bit more than the average kinetic energy. Rhett Allain, WIRED, 21 Jan. 2024 The resulting pushing and shoving keeps this internal movement going, resulting in untapped kinetic energy. IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2023 The combination of mass and speed let the authors estimate the total kinetic energy carried away from the collision by these rocks. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 July 2023 The discovery, recently published in the journal Nature, marks the latest advance in the five-decade hunt for Nagaoka ferromagnetism, in which a material magnetizes as the electrons within it minimize their kinetic energy, in contrast to traditional magnets. Michael Greshko, Quanta Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024 Such a condenser is essentially a large synchronous machine that spins freely; however, a flywheel connected to its shaft can store kinetic energy. IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2023 That means that the high-performance battery that feeds its electric motor will instead be kept charged by its ICE engine and kinetic energy generated by braking. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 21 Dec. 2023 With turkeys, the waddle may act as a pendulum that recovers some of the potential energy (from the change in position of its center of mass) and uses that for kinetic energy to propel it forward. Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023 Baily and co say that when the projectile hits the asteroid, its kinetic energy is converted to heat, vaporizing the projectile and the surrounding material and sending shockwaves through the asteroid that fracture it. Discover Magazine, 30 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kinetic energy.' 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

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinetic energy was in 1870

Dictionary Entries Near kinetic energy

Cite this Entry

“Kinetic energy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinetic%20energy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

kinetic energy

noun
: energy associated with motion

Medical Definition

kinetic energy

noun
: energy associated with motion

More from Merriam-Webster on kinetic energy

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