escape velocity

noun

: the minimum velocity that a moving body (such as a rocket) must have to escape from the gravitational field of a celestial body (such as the earth) and move outward into space

Examples of escape velocity 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.
This transformation happened around the time the idea of becoming a writer had gained escape velocity in my mind. — Ian MacKenzie, Literary Hub, 27 May 2026 Schwarzschild found a point around a body with mass at which the escape velocity, the speed needed to escape the gravitational grip of that body, exceeds the speed of light. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 26 June 2026 But the threat of interest costs growing faster than the economy risks sending debt into escape velocity and forcing more drastic measures to prevent a crisis. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 14 Feb. 2026 Through it all, Che’s flow is diabolical, possessed, always on the verge of hitting escape velocity or reaching critical mass. — Pitchfork, 2 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for escape velocity

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of escape velocity was in 1934

Rhymes for escape velocity

See All Rhymes for escape velocity

Browse Nearby Words

escape valve
escape velocity
escapeway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Escape velocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escape%20velocity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

escape velocity

noun
: the lowest velocity that a moving body (as a rocket) must have to escape from the field of gravity of the earth or of a heavenly body and move outward into space

More from Merriam-Webster on escape velocity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about escape velocity

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All