voltage

noun

volt·​age ˈvōl-tij How to pronounce voltage (audio)
1
: electric potential or potential difference expressed in volts
2
: intensity of feeling

Examples of voltage in a Sentence

We measured the change in voltage across the circuit.
Recent Examples on the Web Both stem from pumping up the voltage in the lines connecting to the encryption key’s bit-generating circuits. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2024 That tip applies to outdoor lighting as well, Santilli said, suggesting customers look for outdoor lighting that is low voltage and uses less power. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 There are also other items in this toolset for more professional use, like a non-contact voltage tester with a flashlight, a ground fault circuit interrupter tester, and a voltage and continuity tester. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2024 The brief lapse in voltage resulted in several elevators across the city shutting down, trapping groups of individuals inside. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 15 Dec. 2023 The researchers then repeated these measurements while applying different voltages across the material, which changed how many electrons were in the moiré lattice. Michael Greshko, WIRED, 28 Jan. 2024 Energy company Con Edison reported a short flicker in voltage on Thursday night due to equipment failure at the Farragut Substation in Brooklyn. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 15 Dec. 2023 Or when the manufacturer says it should be stopped because of safety reasons like high battery temperature or low voltage. Evan Williams, Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2024 Engineers connected potentiometers and op-amps to set up representations of knotty differential equations and read the solutions as varying output voltages. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2023

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

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of voltage was in 1890

Dictionary Entries Near voltage

Cite this Entry

“Voltage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/voltage. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

voltage

noun
volt·​age ˈvōl-tij How to pronounce voltage (audio)
: potential difference measured in volts

Medical Definition

voltage

noun
volt·​age ˈvōl-tij How to pronounce voltage (audio)
: electrical potential or potential difference expressed in volts

More from Merriam-Webster on voltage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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