physical change

American  

[fiz-i-kuhl cheynj] / ˈfɪz ɪ kəl ˈtʃeɪndʒ /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a usually reversible change in the physical properties of a substance, as size or shape.

   Freezing a liquid is a physical change.

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Usage

What is a physical change? A physical change is a change to the physical—as opposed to chemical—properties of a substance. They are usually reversible. The physical properties of a substance include such characteristics as shape (volume and size), color, texture, flexibility, density, and mass. Physical changes are not to be confused with chemical changes, which form whole new substances.

Etymology

Origin of physical change

First recorded in 1750–60

Compare meaning

How does physical-change compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• physical change vs. chemical change

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

physical change

Discomfort with one’s body was increasingly reframed by clinicians and activists as a psychological flaw, and the desire for physical change treated with suspicion, as if it betrayed a lack of self-acceptance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

What followed was not just a physical change but a confrontation with her new identity.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2025

The immediate physical change can lead to an uncomfortable sensation in your brain, referred to as “brain zaps,” which feels like small electric shocks.

From Slate ● Mar. 28, 2023

“This study provides evidence that there is a physical change that can be observed in the days before an earthquake, but further scientific study is needed to understand this process.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2022

His view of the history of his county, state, and nation saw more than mere physical change, however, and he was sensitive to the changing spirit of the time and place in which he lived.

From Green Spring Farm Fairfax County, Virginia by Nan Netherton