Meaning & use
gravity
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Meanings
noununcountablephysics
The force that pulls objects with mass toward each other, and that keeps us on the ground.
Grammar: Uncountable; no article: the force of gravity.
Patterns
- the force of gravity
- against gravity
Gravity makes apples fall from the tree.
Astronauts float because there is little gravity in orbit.
The moon's gravity causes the tides.
noununcountableformal
The seriousness or importance of something, especially a bad situation.
Grammar: Often followed by of.
Patterns
- the gravity of something
He understood the gravity of the situation.
The judge spoke with great gravity.
Common combinations
- force of gravity
- The force of gravity pulls us down.
- defy gravity
- The dancer seemed to defy gravity.
- zero gravity
- Astronauts train for zero gravity.
- the gravity of the situation
- She realized the gravity of the situation.
- center of gravity
- A low center of gravity keeps the car stable.
Synonyms and how they differ
- seriousness
- The everyday word for the second sense.
- weight
- Can mean importance; in physics it is the force gravity exerts on a mass.
- severity
- Used for how bad something is.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: gravity or gravy?
gravity vs gravy
Gravy is a sauce for meat, unrelated to gravity.
Practice
Because of the Moon's lower ___, astronauts can jump much higher there than on Earth.
Choose one answer.
Gravity is the force that pulls things down. Gravy is a sauce.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gravity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.