gravitational

American  

[grav-i-tey-shuh-nl] / ˌgræv ɪˈteɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

1. 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.

2. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• antigravitational adjective
• gravitationally adverb

Etymology

Origin of gravitational

First recorded in 1850–55; gravitation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Not only that, but these observations also tell us more about the nature of TDEs -- when a star is shredded by the immense gravitational forces exerted by a black hole.

From Science Daily

Their orbits show no signs of misalignment, suggesting that their movement toward the star was smooth rather than heavily influenced by disruptive gravitational interactions.

From Science Daily

But to me, principles and shared sacrifices explain the irresistible gravitational force of the West.

From The Wall Street Journal

The team then determines the gravitational field that would match observational measurements and uses that information to infer the possible composition.

From Science Daily

Despite serving as a gravitational center for the city’s entertainment scene for decades, it was shuttered in 2014.

From Los Angeles Times