ellipse

as in oval
a shape that resembles a flattened circle The teacher drew an ellipse on the chalkboard that intended to illustrate the moon's orbit around the Earth.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ellipse As an actor who’s appeared on several hit shows, Johnston was identified quickly among the hundreds of Donald Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol following an inflammatory speech by the outgoing president at the nearby ellipse. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Oct. 2024 Since the moon’s orbital path around Earth is a slight ellipse, there’s a near-point (perigee) and a far-point (apogee) every month. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024 That’s because the moon’s orbital path around Earth is a slight ellipse, so there’s always a near-point (perigee) and a far-point (apogee) every month. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024 Right now Bennu is 89 percent as far from the sun as Earth is, but to rendezvous with Earth, the spacecraft will have to follow an ellipse that takes it 40 percent farther out—almost as far from the sun as Mars is. IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2021 See All Example Sentences for ellipse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ellipse
Noun
  • The plan was already beginning to emerge on a sheet of Mylar graph paper—an oval, surrounded by arrows, with a handful of anomalous objects marked.
    Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Last-lap wrecks taking out the leader and altering the race’s result may not be what some want to see, but that is life in a sport with 40 cars racing around an oval at high speeds, all with a ton of incentive to cross the finish line first.
    Jordan Bianchi, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • But inflation continues to be a persistent problem, with some economists predicting tariffs could raise prices more, and the cost of eggs have skyrocketed amid the prevalence of avian flu.
    Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Laura Avila doesn’t eat eggs herself but promised to whip up a batch of deviled eggs for her granddaughter’s birthday party over the weekend.
    Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The final course is presented in a ceramic white orb, which is deconstructed at the table with the ring hidden inside.
    Lisa Shames, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Rocket’s kit makes this uniquely possible: His alt fire is a bouncing heal orb which is the sole source of his (very strong) healing.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ellipse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ellipse. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ellipse

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!