Meaning & use

hydraulics

noun·Advanced

The branch of science and engineering dealing with the use of liquids under pressure to generate mechanical force.

See it in a sentence

The excavator's arm moves using hydraulics powered by a pressurized fluid system.

Engineers study hydraulics to design dams, pumps, and braking systems.

A note on using this word

Hydraulics is grammatically singular when it names the field of study, though it ends in 's,' like 'physics' or 'mathematics.'

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hydraulics”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.