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
Funding for physics grants this year has fallen by 85 percent, and funding for materials research grants has dropped by 63 percent.
—
Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Jennifer Ouellette Senior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
Understanding the physics of water entry has implications for naval engineering, biomechanics and robotics.
—Daehyun Choi, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
Contributing writer Keith Cooper is a freelance science journalist and editor in the United Kingdom, and has a degree in physics and astrophysics from the University of Manchester.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for physics
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Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Jennifer Ouellette Senior Writer Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
Understanding the physics of water entry has implications for naval engineering, biomechanics and robotics.
—Daehyun Choi, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
Contributing writer Keith Cooper is a freelance science journalist and editor in the United Kingdom, and has a degree in physics and astrophysics from the University of Manchester.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for physics
Cite this Entry
“Physics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physics. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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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