gravitational radiation

noun

: a series of gravitational waves
also : the generation of such waves (as by a celestial object)

Examples of gravitational radiation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Because energy is conserved, and gravitational radiation (also known as a gravitational wave) carries energy, this leads to the decay of the mutual orbits of these masses. Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025 This gravitational radiation carries angular momentum away from the binary system, causing the neutron stars to draw together. Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Feb. 2025 Experimentalists could not go straight from Einstein’s original predictions about gravitational radiation to building an apparatus capable of detecting a passing wave. Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, 20 Apr. 2023 Damour and his fellow researchers helped develop a theory describing the orbital motion and gravitational radiation as a result of two merging black holes, which played an important role in the direct detection of gravitational waves in 2016. Dhananjay Khadilkar, Ars Technica, 18 July 2022 Einstein first predicted that any accelerating mass should emit gravitational radiation in the form of waves. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gravitational radiation was in 1938

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gravitational radiation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gravitational%20radiation. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!