plural in form but singular or plural in construction
1
: a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions
2
a
: the physical processes and phenomena of a particular system
b
: the physical properties and composition of something
Examples of physics in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cosmological queries were the dominion of philosophers, says Jenann Ismael—herself a philosopher of physics at Johns Hopkins University.
—
Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2026
Check out our episodes on how extreme G-forces affect Olympic bobsledders, the physics of figure skating and the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold.
—Rebecca Ramirez, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
While our two rounds of scrimmaging yielded a whopping score of 0-0, the game itself felt accessible yet challenging, combining elements of shuffleboard, chess, skating and, yes, physics.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The center will introduce a new bachelor’s degree in space physics and data science, and a new fast-track master’s degree.
—Samuel O’Neal 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for physics
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Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2026
Check out our episodes on how extreme G-forces affect Olympic bobsledders, the physics of figure skating and the science behind Simone Biles' Olympic gold.
—Rebecca Ramirez, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
While our two rounds of scrimmaging yielded a whopping score of 0-0, the game itself felt accessible yet challenging, combining elements of shuffleboard, chess, skating and, yes, physics.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The center will introduce a new bachelor’s degree in space physics and data science, and a new fast-track master’s degree.
—Samuel O’Neal 10, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for physics
Cite this Entry
“Physics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physics. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
physics
noun
phys·ics
ˈfiz-iks 
1
: a science that deals with matter and energy and their actions upon each other in the fields of mechanics, heat, light, electricity, sound, and the atomic nucleus
2
: physical composition, characteristics, or processes
the physics of sound
Medical Definition
physics
noun, plural in form but singular or plural in construction
phys·ics
ˈfiz-iks
: a science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions in the fields of mechanics, acoustics, optics, heat, electricity, magnetism, radiation, atomic structure, and nuclear phenomena
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
