Meaning & use
attenuation
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Meanings
noununcountablephysicstechnical
The weakening of a signal, wave or beam as it travels through a medium, such as light or sound passing through material.
Grammar: Usually uncountable and followed by of: the attenuation of the signal.
Patterns
- attenuation of something
- attenuation over distance
Fiber optic cables are designed to minimize attenuation of the light signal.
Sound attenuation in thick walls helps keep apartments quiet.
The radio engineer measured attenuation as the wave traveled through the forest.
noununcountablemedicalbiology
The process of making a germ or vaccine less harmful by weakening it.
Grammar: Used as an uncountable noun in medicine: attenuation of the virus.
Patterns
- attenuation of a virus
Attenuation of the virus produced a vaccine that was safe but effective.
Scientists achieved attenuation by growing the bacteria in unusual conditions.
The vaccine depends on careful attenuation of the pathogen.
noununcountableformal
A general lessening in the force, value or effect of something.
Grammar: More formal and abstract: attenuation of the effects.
Patterns
- attenuation of something
The attenuation of the law's effect left many problems unresolved.
Over the decades there was a slow attenuation of public interest.
The treaty led to an attenuation of tensions in the region.
Common combinations
- signal attenuation
- Long cables can cause signal attenuation.
- sound attenuation
- The studio walls provide excellent sound attenuation.
- attenuation of light
- Fog causes attenuation of light from the beacon.
- attenuation coefficient
- The attenuation coefficient tells engineers how quickly the beam fades.
- gradual attenuation
- Gradual attenuation of the vibrations followed the quake.
Synonyms and how they differ
- weakening
- Weakening is the plain word for becoming less strong, while attenuation is the technical term used for signals and waves.
- reduction
- Reduction is any decrease and does not suggest the gradual fading over distance that attenuation does.
- dampening
- Dampening often refers to making vibrations or enthusiasm less strong, while attenuation focuses on energy loss.
- diminution
- Diminution is a formal word for a becoming smaller, with no link to physical waves.
Opposites
Word family
- attenuate verb
- to make weaker or thinner
- attenuated adjective
- made weaker, as in an attenuated vaccine
- attenuator noun
- a device that reduces the strength of a signal
- tenuous adjective
- very thin, weak or slight
Commonly confused: attenuation or extenuation? attenuation or attention?
attenuation vs extenuation
Extenuation means making a fault seem less serious by giving reasons, and is not about signal strength.
attenuation vs attention
Attention is focused notice, while attenuation is a gradual weakening; they look alike at a glance.
Practice
Engineers add repeaters along very long cables to make up for signal ______.
Choose one answer.
Attenuation is the gradual weakening of a signal over distance, which a repeater corrects. Extenuation means making a fault seem less serious, so it has nothing to do with cables.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “attenuation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.