magnitude

noun

mag·​ni·​tude ˈmag-nə-ˌtüd How to pronounce magnitude (audio)
-ˌtyüd
Synonyms of magnitudenext
1
a
: great size or extent
cannot wage a war of such magnitude—A. N. Whitehead
the magnitude of an earthquake
b(1)
: spatial quality : size
able to operate only over distances of very small magnitude—G. W. Gray
(2)
: quantity, number
the savings in amounts of metal … will be of dramatically significant magnitudes—American Fabrics
2
: the importance, quality, or caliber of something
evil of such magnitude as must, if possible, be prevented—Jane Austen
a writer of first magnitude—Richard Plant
3
: a number representing the intrinsic (see intrinsic sense 1a) or apparent brightness of a celestial (see celestial entry 1 sense 2) body on a logarithmic scale in which an increase of one unit corresponds to a reduction in the brightness of light by a factor of 2.512
4
: a numerical quantitative measure expressed usually as a multiple of a standard unit
5
: the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on an arbitrary scale
a magnitude six earthquake

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of magnitude in a Sentence

the magnitude of the issue can scarcely be overstated the mountain's sheer magnitude usually leaves tourists speechless
Recent Examples on the Web The magnitude of the moment seemed to dawn on Staley as the confetti rained down on her team after another successful season, breaking down in tears as her championship-winning squad celebrated reaching the mountain top yet again. —Ben Morse, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024 San Diego State pitcher Jacob Riordan watched a ground ball to second base become the final out in last week’s no-hitter against New Mexico, then let the magnitude of moment wash over him. —Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for magnitude 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magnitude.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin magnitudo, from magnus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnitude was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing magnitude

Dictionary Entries Near magnitude

Magnitogorsk

magnitude

magnitudinous

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Magnitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnitude. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

magnitude

noun
mag·​ni·​tude ˈmag-nə-ˌt(y)üd How to pronounce magnitude (audio)
1
a
: great size or extent : bigness
b
: size entry 1 sense 1
2
: the importance of something in influence or effect
3
: degree of brightness
especially : a number representing the brightness of a star
4
: the intensity of an earthquake represented by a number on a scale

Medical Definition

magnitude

noun
mag·​ni·​tude ˈmag-nə-ˌt(y)üd How to pronounce magnitude (audio)
: relative size or extent

More from Merriam-Webster on magnitude

Nglish: Translation of magnitude for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of magnitude for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magnitude

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