Word
gravity
Phoneticsgrav·i·ty, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɹævəti/
UK/ɡɹˈævɪti/
Definitions
01physical force
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Science
n. the natural force that pulls everything toward the center of the earth.
n. the universal force of attraction acting between all matter. Uncountable in this physical sense.
日本語:重力※
“Gravity is the force that makes an apple fall from a tree to the ground.”
“The satellite was designed to orbit the planet at a specific altitude where the pull of gravity would remain constant.”
Synonyms
02seriousness
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the quality of being very serious or important.
n. the quality of being grave, solemn, or extremely serious in manner or consequence.
日本語:重要性※
“The president spoke with great gravity about the dangers of the new war.”
“The board of directors failed to grasp the gravity of the situation until the company's stock price began to plummet.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03weight
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Science Technical
n. the weight of something.
n. the property of having weight; heaviness. Often used in technical contexts like 'specific gravity'.
“The specific gravity of the liquid helped the scientists identify the chemical.”
“The instrument measures the specific gravity of the ore to determine its mineral content relative to pure water.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “gravity” in context.
Verb
01. defy gravity
“The gymnast seemed to defy gravity as she performed a series of complex mid-air flips.”
verb + noun
02. overcome gravity
“A rocket must reach a specific velocity to overcome gravity and enter the Earth's orbit.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. planetary gravity
“The probe was designed to measure variations in planetary gravity across the surface of Mars.”
adj + noun
04. zero gravity
“Astronauts often experience muscle atrophy after spending months living in zero gravity.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. center of gravity
“Lowering the vehicle's center of gravity significantly improves its stability during high-speed turns.”
noun + of + noun
06. force of gravity
“The force of gravity is what keeps the moon in a constant orbit around our planet.”
noun + of + noun
07. gravity pulls
“As the star collapses, gravity pulls its mass inward until it becomes incredibly dense.”
noun + verb
Preposition
08. against gravity
“The heart must work harder to pump blood upward against gravity when a person is standing.”
prep + noun
Usage
Uncountable in both its scientific sense and when referring to the seriousness of a situation.
Real-World Examples
“The "capture" hypothesis, meanwhile, postulates that the moons are asteroids from the outer solar system that were captured by Mars' gravity.” “This rare X-ray flash was produced when a massive star's core collapsed under gravity, leaving behind a powerful magnetar.” “That’s how I think about the proper goal of the “conservative movement” — to move America’s center of gravity rightward, not just the GOP’s.” Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European gʷreh₂- ("heavy"), through Proto-Italic gʷraus to Latin gravis ("heavy; grave, serious"), with the abstract noun suffix -tās yielding gravitās ("heaviness, weight; seriousness; severity"). The English word entered via French gravité ("seriousness, solemnity; severity; (physics) gravity") or directly from Latin gravitās, with the native suffix -ity attached.
The word was first used figuratively in English; the physical senses—attraction, weight, planetary pull—arrived in the 17th century. Gravitas, borrowed directly from Latin in the 20th century, is a doublet.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
The word in film
Gravity · 2013 · Mystery
- Directed by:
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Ed Harris
Alfonso Cuarón directed this tense thriller about two astronauts who become stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed. The title describes the physical force that the characters must struggle to return to as they float helplessly above the Earth.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/gravity
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0