magnitude
noun
mag·ni·tude
ˈmag-nə-ˌtüd 
-ˌtyüd
1
a
: great size or extent
cannot wage a war of such magnitude—
A. N. Whitehead
A. N. Whiteheadthe magnitude of an earthquake
2
: the importance, quality, or caliber of something
evil of such magnitude as must, if possible, be prevented—Jane Austen
Jane Austena writer of first magnitude—Richard Plant
Richard Plant3
: a number representing the intrinsic (see intrinsic sense 1a) or apparent brightness of a celestial (see celestial entry 1 sense 2) body on a logarithmic scale in which an increase of one unit corresponds to a reduction in the brightness of light by a factor of 2.512
4
: a numerical quantitative measure expressed usually as a multiple of a standard unit
5
: the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on an arbitrary scale
a magnitude six earthquake
Examples of magnitude in a Sentence
the magnitude of the issue can scarcely be overstated
the mountain's sheer magnitude usually leaves tourists speechless
Recent Examples on the Web
On August 29, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake rocked the Kamchatka Peninsula, a stretch of land that extends southward into the Bering Sea from Russia’s northeast coast.
—Kiona N. Smith, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Their initial readings had magnitudes of 6.9, 6.3, 5.4, 5.7 and 5.6.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 30 July 2025
Tsunami waves up to 10 feet high could hit parts of northern Hawaii after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Wednesday off the coast of Russia, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
Worst tsunamis in history The deadliest tsunami in history, caused by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake, struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26, 2004.
—George Petras, USA Today, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnitude
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Kiona N. Smith, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Their initial readings had magnitudes of 6.9, 6.3, 5.4, 5.7 and 5.6.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 30 July 2025
Tsunami waves up to 10 feet high could hit parts of northern Hawaii after a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Wednesday off the coast of Russia, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
Worst tsunamis in history The deadliest tsunami in history, caused by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake, struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean on Dec. 26, 2004.
—George Petras, USA Today, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for magnitude
Cite this Entry
“Magnitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnitude. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
magnitude
noun
mag·ni·tude
ˈmag-nə-ˌt(y)üd
1
a
: great size or extent : bigness
2
: the importance of something in influence or effect
3
: degree of brightness
especially
: a number representing the brightness of a star
4
: the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on a scale
Medical Definition
magnitude
noun
mag·ni·tude
ˈmag-nə-ˌt(y)üd
: relative size or extent
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