centrifugal force

noun

: the apparent force that is felt by an object moving in a curved path that acts outwardly away from the center of rotation compare centripetal force

Examples of centrifugal force in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
How Black poets built the ‘centrifugal force’ in modern American literature. Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025 Peterson noted that the centrifugal force of the car flipping would have caused the injury to Alisa Oman’s head while Wright had no facial injuries. Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 20 Mar. 2025 Acrobatic moves involve high centrifugal forces, short decision times, and challenging launch and landing dynamics—all of these can drive us towards a deeper understanding of actuator, sensors, and control strategies. IEEE Spectrum, 22 May 2018 Just slightly larger than a toaster, the appliance uses a cylinder, spinning at several hundred rotations per minute, to create its own artificial gravity through centrifugal force. Sarah Miller, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for centrifugal force

Word History

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of centrifugal force was in 1698

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Centrifugal force.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centrifugal%20force. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

centrifugal force

noun
: the force that tends to cause a thing or parts of a thing to go outward from a center of rotation

More from Merriam-Webster on centrifugal force

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!