end effector
noun
variants
or end-effector
ˈend-i-ˈfek-tər 
-ˌtȯr
plural end effectors or end-effectors
: any of various tools that can be mounted at the end of a robotic arm and that are used to interact with or manipulate objects
Performance data on robots, Lau says, usually describe a device's ability to place its end effector at a given point and do so repeatedly at very low speeds.—
K. M. Reese
K. M. ReeseExamples of end effector in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ground systems identified the pose of the arm’s end effector in real time using first‑view camera imagery to plan motion and generate control commands.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
Every task required a robotic arm’s end effector to get within 2.5 centimeters of the right spot on the right strut, approached from the correct angle, then stay there, frozen, for a moment.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
By replacing its feet with hooked end effectors and employing advanced reinforcement learning techniques, the robot can now ascend ladders at various angles with a 90% success rate.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 3 Nov. 2024
Key features of mocobots include passive compliance, for the safety of the human and the payload, and high-fidelity end effector force control independent of the potentially imprecise motions of the mobile base.
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 1 July 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
Every task required a robotic arm’s end effector to get within 2.5 centimeters of the right spot on the right strut, approached from the correct angle, then stay there, frozen, for a moment.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
By replacing its feet with hooked end effectors and employing advanced reinforcement learning techniques, the robot can now ascend ladders at various angles with a 90% success rate.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 3 Nov. 2024
Key features of mocobots include passive compliance, for the safety of the human and the payload, and high-fidelity end effector force control independent of the potentially imprecise motions of the mobile base.
—Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 1 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“End effector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/end%20effector. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
