Word
magnitude
Meanings
the size, extent, or importance of something
the size or intensity of something that can be measured
in physics and mathematics, the size of a quantity regardless of its direction
Definition
Magnitude is the size, extent, or importance of something, especially when it is large or significant.
Magnitude refers to how big or intense something is, such as a change, a problem, or an effect. It is often used in academic and formal contexts to emphasize scale or seriousness. In science and math, it can mean the size of a quantity without considering its direction.
Examples
- It took the committee several meetings to grasp the magnitude of the reputational risk.
- I underestimated the magnitude of the workload and ended up working late all week.
- She spoke calmly, but her pause suggested she understood the magnitude of the decision.
- They measured the magnitude of the signal before adjusting the equipment for accuracy.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse magnitude with amount and use it for countable items (e.g., 'a magnitude of books') instead of for size, extent, or intensity.
More at C1 level
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