attractive force
1
4.7
- noun
- Specialized
:
fuerza atractiva
- It is the attractive force that brings in customers.
So gravity is, is usually a purely attractive force, but negative mass would lead to repulsive gravity and lead to all kinds of weird things.
- So gravity is, is usually a purely attractive force, but negative mass would lead to repulsive gravity and lead to all kinds of weird things.
Examples
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Gravity, as we experience on the Earth's surface and in the solar and similar systems, is associated with an attractive force.
Blog text (3) -
It is an attractive force between any two bits of material in the universe—you and Earth, two dust bunnies under your bed, two stars separated by one hundred thousand light-years.
Academic text (2005) -
Varahamihira proposed that there must be some type of attractive force keeping objects stationary.
Blog text (17) -
Newton has succeeded in quantifying this attractive force using his law of universal gravity.
Blog text (3) -
Gravity is the attractive force that pulls objects toward each other, like a magnet attracts metal.
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The attractive force of the Earth keeps us grounded, preventing us from floating into space.
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In physics, the attractive force causes two objects to move closer together due to their mass.
Synonyms
335
2.3
The force that makes things fall to the ground and keeps planets moving
96
2.8
A force that pulls objects toward each other, like gravity or magnets
7
4.2
A pull between all objects, especially Earth's pull on things near its surface
4
4.1
A force that pulls objects toward each other and makes things fall to Earth
1
3.7
A force that pulls iron or nails toward a magnet
1
4.1
The force that pulls two objects toward each other, for example toward a planet
1
6.8
A force that pulls objects with mass toward each other, keeping planets and moons in place
1
3.4
The pull that makes things fall toward Earth or another large body
A force that pulls atoms together to form molecules
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'attractive force' is directly compositional: 'attractive' (exerting a pull) combined with 'force' (power that makes objects move) clearly yields a force that draws objects together. This is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common combination so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning, even if the collocation is used in technical (physics) contexts.
Etymology
Attractive force is a simple name that shows the idea: attractive means 'pulling' and force means a push or pull. Think of two magnets moving toward each other — that clear picture is why the phrase means 'a force that pulls objects together'.