Meaning & use
sphere
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablemathematics
A perfectly round solid shape with every surface point equally distant from its center.
Grammar: A geometry object; say “a sphere,” plural “spheres.”
Patterns
- a solid sphere
- the surface of a sphere
- draw a sphere
A soap bubble forms a near-perfect sphere.
The geometry exercise asked us to calculate the volume of a sphere.
nouncountablefigurative
A particular field of activity, interest, knowledge, or influence.
Grammar: Common with of: sphere of influence, responsibility, or activity.
Patterns
- sphere of influence
- in the political sphere
- a sphere of activity
Climate policy now sits in the public sphere.
She became powerful in the financial sphere.
Word forms
| plural | spheres |
|---|
Common combinations
- sphere of influence
- The port city remained within its neighbor’s sphere of influence.
- public sphere
- The debate moved into the public sphere.
- the surface of a sphere
- Students mapped points on the surface of a sphere.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ball
- An everyday round object; sphere is the exact geometric shape.
- domain
- Used figuratively for an area of control or knowledge, less geometric.
- field
- More general for an area of study or work.
Opposites
Word family
- spherical adjective
- Having the shape of a sphere; round like a ball.
- spherically adverb
- In a spherical manner or with reference to a sphere.
Commonly confused: sphere or hemisphere?
sphere vs hemisphere
A hemisphere is half a sphere, such as the northern half of Earth.
Practice
Choose the best word: “By 1900, the island had entered the colonial power’s ___ of influence.”
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is “sphere of influence”; the other choices are grammatical in form but not idiomatic here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sphere”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.