gravitational
Americanadjective
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Physics. of or relating to the force of attraction between two masses.
The gravitational effect of the moon causes the rise and fall of ocean tides.
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of or relating to a strong movement or natural tendency toward something or someone.
Their gravitational attraction to self-destructive behavior has been the subject of much study.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gravitational
First recorded in 1850–55; gravitation ( def. ) + -al 1 ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing gravitational
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dark matter, which is invisible, acts as a kind of gravitational glue, while dark energy is believed to be a repulsive force driving the Universe's expansion.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Dark matter is thought to act as a kind of gravitational glue, while dark energy is believed to be a repulsive force driving the universe's expansion.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
Even though light can pass through it, making it invisible, it exerts a massive gravitational force that works to collapse the universe in on itself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
And in a league hard-wired to drag down any team that inches too far ahead, anyone who resists the gravitational pull toward mediocrity has figured out how to beat the system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Stars and their accompanying planets are born in the gravitational collapse of a cloud of interstellar gas and dust.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
