Meaning & use
atmosphere
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Meanings
nounsingular
The layer of gases that surrounds a planet or star.
Grammar: Usually with the: the Earth's atmosphere.
Patterns
- in the atmosphere
- the atmosphere of a planet
Earth's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen.
The probe entered the atmosphere of Mars.
Pollution has changed the atmosphere.
nouncountable or uncountable
The mood or feeling of a place or situation.
Grammar: Usually singular with a: a friendly atmosphere.
Patterns
- an atmosphere of something
- a relaxed atmosphere
The cafe has a warm, relaxed atmosphere.
An atmosphere of tension filled the room.
Candles gave the dinner a romantic atmosphere.
nouncountabletechnical
The air in a particular place or a mixture of gases in a container.
Grammar: Technical; usually singular: a controlled atmosphere.
Patterns
- a controlled atmosphere
Fruit is stored in a controlled atmosphere.
The lab kept an inert atmosphere.
The stuffy atmosphere in the cellar made us cough.
nouncountablephysics
A unit of pressure equal to the average air pressure at sea level.
Grammar: Often shortened to atm.
Patterns
- pressure of two atmospheres
The tank holds gas at ten atmospheres.
Pressure at sea level is one atmosphere.
The diver felt three atmospheres at that depth.
Word forms
| plural | atmospheres |
|---|
Common combinations
- relaxed atmosphere
- The office has a relaxed atmosphere.
- create an atmosphere
- Music creates an atmosphere.
- earth's atmosphere
- Satellites orbit above the Earth's atmosphere.
- atmosphere of
- An atmosphere of trust grew.
- hostile atmosphere
- The meeting had a hostile atmosphere.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ambience
- Ambience is the pleasant character of a place and is more formal.
- mood
- Mood can be personal as well as a place's feeling.
- air
- Air is the gas we breathe or an impression: an air of calm.
- feel
- Feel is informal and about the general impression of a place.
Opposites
Word family
- atmospheric adjective
- relating to the air, or creating a mood
- atmospherically adverb
- in relation to atmosphere
Commonly confused: atmosphere or stratosphere?
atmosphere vs stratosphere
The stratosphere is one layer of the atmosphere, not the whole.
Practice
The cafe is popular because of its warm, friendly ____.
Choose one answer.
The atmosphere of a place is its mood. The other words are parts of Earth or shapes.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “atmosphere”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.