phase

[ feyz ]

/ feɪz /

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See synonyms for: phase / phases on Thesaurus.com

noun

any of the major appearances or aspects in which a thing of varying modes or conditions manifests itself to the eye or mind.

a stage in a process of change or development: Each phase of life brings its own joys.

a side, aspect, or point of view: This is only one phase of the question.

a state of synchronous operation: to put two mechanisms in phase.

Astronomy.

the particular appearance presented by the moon or a planet at a given time.
one of the recurring appearances or states of the moon or a planet in respect to the form, or the absence, of its illuminated disk: the phases of the moon.

Zoology. color phase.

Chemistry. a mechanically separate, homogeneous part of a heterogeneous system: the solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of a system.

Physics. a particular stage or point of advancement in a cycle; the fractional part of the period through which the time has advanced, measured from some arbitrary origin often expressed as an angle (phase angle ), the entire period being taken as 360°.

verb (used with object), phased, phas·ing.

to schedule or order in gradual stages, so as to be available when or as needed.

Physics. to adjust the phase of (an electrical or mechanical device), especially to synchronize it with that of one or more other devices: a properly phased, synchronous pulse generator that augments the action of the human heart.

Verb Phrases

phase down, to reduce by gradual stages.

phase in, to put or come into use gradually; incorporate by degrees: to phase in new machinery.

phase out, to bring or come to an end gradually; ease out of service: to phase out obsolescent machinery.

OTHER WORDS FOR phase

1 form, shape; facet, side.

See synonyms for phase on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of phase

First recorded in 1805–15; (noun) back formation from phases, plural of phasis

OTHER WORDS FROM phase

phase·less, adjectivepha·sic, pha·se·al

[feyz-uhl], /ˈfeɪz əl/, adjectivere·phase, verb (used with object) re·phased, re·phas·ing.sub·phase, noun

un·phased, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use phase in a sentence

In phase three, which aims to end community spread, they give priority to countries with higher transmission rates.
Who should get the Covid-19 vaccine first? Ethicists are fiercely debating how to vaccinate billions of people.|Sigal Samuel|November 20, 2020|Vox
Google said on Thursday that it has now completed its worldwide rollout of RCS and is moving to a new phase—end-to-end encryption.
Google is testing end-to-end encryption in Android Messages|Dan Goodin|November 19, 2020|Ars Technica
There was a lot of stress in planning shoots for areas in early phases where there was the possibility that rising numbers would have that area go back a phase, the shoot there would be off and we’d have to find a new place.
‘Logistical issues’: Confessions of a production exec on how coronavirus safety has changed her job|Kristina Monllos|November 18, 2020|Digiday
With final phases of testing and trials underway, we must turn our concern to the next stage and consider the idea of a vaccine-related cyberattack.
How bad actors could sabotage a COVID vaccine—and how that can be prevented|jakemeth|November 18, 2020|Fortune

At least a few of the manufacturers currently in phase 3 trials have publicly stated their intent to request an EUA.
Covid-19 vaccines shouldn’t get emergency-use authorization|Amy Nordrum|November 13, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Companies like Unilever recently phased out its use of microbeads at the urging of activists.
Your Favorite Facewash Is Hurting Nemo|Alexa C. Kurzius|June 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ukrainian officers who trained in Russia, Alasania said, should be sidelined or phased out.
What to Do When Russia Invades Your Country|Eli Lake|May 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Starting next year, 40- and 60-watt incandescent bulbs will be phased out, too.
Why You Should Give LED Light Bulbs for Christmas. Seriously.|Daniel Gross|December 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Final standards will be released in 2015 and phased in slowly.
What Are We Going to Do About Carbon?|Megan McArdle|June 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Capus devised a plan for Curry to be slowly phased out and Guthrie slowly phased in, with both women appearing at the Olympics.
Matt Lauer’s Bruising Year After Ann Curry’s Ouster Devastated the ‘Today’ Show|Howard Kurtz|March 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Not one man in a million could have phased them, but this slender girl dumfounded them.
Crooked Trails and Straight|William MacLeod Raine
It was the kind of thing Oswald would do and it wouldn't even have phased me.
Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
On the contrary, it is many-phased; the fullest and widest development of modern France is indeed modern France itself.
In the Heart of Vosges|Matilda Betham-Edwards
Under my program of phased decontrol, domestic crude oil price controls will end September 30, 1981.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various
Units would be forward deployed in accordance with their time phased plan.
Shock and Awe|Harlan K. Ullman

British Dictionary definitions for phase

phase

/ (feɪz) /

noun

any distinct or characteristic period or stage in a sequence of events or chain of developmentthere were two phases to the resolution; his immaturity was a passing phase

astronomy one of the recurring shapes of the portion of the moon or an inferior planet illuminated by the sunthe new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter are the four principal phases of the moon

physics

the fraction of a cycle of a periodic quantity that has been completed at a specific reference time, expressed as an angle
(as modifier)a phase shift

physics a particular stage in a periodic process or phenomenon

in phase (of two waveforms) reaching corresponding phases at the same time

out of phase (of two waveforms) not in phase

chem a distinct state of matter characterized by homogeneous composition and properties and the possession of a clearly defined boundary

zoology a variation in the normal form of an animal, esp a colour variation, brought about by seasonal or geographical change

biology (usually in combination) a stage in mitosis or meiosisprophase; metaphase

electrical engineering one of the circuits in a system in which there are two or more alternating voltages displaced by equal amounts in phase (sense 5)See also polyphase (def. 1)

(in systemic grammar) the type of correspondence that exists between the predicators in a clause that has two or more predicators; for example connection by to, as in I managed to do it, or -ing, as in we heard him singing

verb (tr)

(often passive) to execute, arrange, or introduce gradually or in stagesa phased withdrawal

(sometimes foll by with) to cause (a part, process, etc) to function or coincide with (another part, process, etc)he tried to phase the intake and output of the machine; he phased the intake with the output

mainly US to arrange (processes, goods, etc) to be supplied or executed when required

Derived forms of phase

phaseless, adjectivephasic or phaseal, adjective

Word Origin for phase

C19: from New Latin phases, pl of phasis, from Greek: aspect; related to Greek phainein to show

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for phase

phase

[ fāz ]

Any of the forms, recurring in cycles, in which the Moon or a planet appears in the sky.

One of a set of possible homogenous, discrete states of a physical system. States of matter such as solid and liquid are examples of phases, as are different crystal lattice structures in metals such as iron. See also phase transition state of matter.

A measure of how far some cyclic behavior, such as wave motion, has proceeded through its cycle, measured in degrees or radians. At the beginning of the phase, its value is zero; at one quarter of its cycle, its phase is 90 degrees (π/2 radians); halfway through the cycle its value is 180 degrees (π radians), and so on.♦ The phase angle between two waves is a measure of their difference in phase. Two waves of the same frequency that are perfectly in phase have phase angle zero; if one wave is ahead of the other by a quarter cycle, its phase angle 90 degrees (π/2 radians); waves that are perfectly out of phase have phase angle 180 degrees (π radians), and so on. See more at wave.

phase

OTHER WORDS FOR phase

Origin of phase

OTHER WORDS FROM phase

Words related to phase

How to use phase in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for phase

Derived forms of phase

Word Origin for phase

Scientific definitions for phase