sensor
noun
ˈsen(t)-sər
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Sensors are used today almost everywhere. Radar guns bounce microwaves off moving cars. A burglar alarm may use a photosensor to detect when a beam of light has been broken, or may use ultrasonic sound waves that bounce off moving objects. Still other sensors may detect pressure (barometers) or chemicals (Breathalyzers and smoke detectors). Stud finders, used by carpenters to locate wooden studs under a wall, may employ magnets or radar. Wired gloves, which relay information about the position of the fingers, are used in virtual-reality environments. A cheap car alarm may be nothing but a shock sensor, in which a strong vibration will cause two metal surfaces to come together.
Examples of sensor in a Sentence
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Instead, the sensors were triggered when the girl’s father jumped in after her less than a minute later.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Her work focused on sensor systems and software.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2025
They’re accompanied by six additional outward-facing cameras for position and hand tracking, four inward-facing cameras for eye tracking, flicker and depth sensors, and five additional Inertial Measurement Units.
—PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sensor
Cite this Entry
“Sensor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sensor. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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sensor
noun
Medical Definition
sensor
noun
ˈsen(t)-sər
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