alternating current
noun
: an electric current that reverses its direction at regularly recurring intervals
—abbreviation AC
Examples of alternating current in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As their name implies, direct current fast charging ports use direct current, rather than the alternating current from standard power outlets, to charge electric vehicle batteries to 80% within 20 minutes to an hour, according to the federal transportation department.
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Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Inverters take the direct current available from your vehicle's 12V battery—the lead-acid brick inside almost every car—and turns it into alternating current suitable for standard plugs.
—Ars Technica, 17 Mar. 2025
Today MOSFETs and other silicon carbide transistors greatly reduce on-state loss and switching losses in power-conversion systems, such as the inverters in an electric vehicle used to convert the battery’s direct current to the alternating current that drives the motor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 June 2024
Thomas Edison’s electric light bulb and power distribution systems and Nikola Tesla’s alternating current innovations relied on copper’s conductivity and corrosion resistance, enabling widespread electrification.
—Ed MacHa, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alternating current
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Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Inverters take the direct current available from your vehicle's 12V battery—the lead-acid brick inside almost every car—and turns it into alternating current suitable for standard plugs.
—Ars Technica, 17 Mar. 2025
Today MOSFETs and other silicon carbide transistors greatly reduce on-state loss and switching losses in power-conversion systems, such as the inverters in an electric vehicle used to convert the battery’s direct current to the alternating current that drives the motor.
—IEEE Spectrum, 23 June 2024
Thomas Edison’s electric light bulb and power distribution systems and Nikola Tesla’s alternating current innovations relied on copper’s conductivity and corrosion resistance, enabling widespread electrification.
—Ed MacHa, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for alternating current
Cite this Entry
“Alternating current.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alternating%20current. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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