How to Use general relativity in a Sentence

general relativity

noun
  • One way to make a black hole sort of look like the universe is to modify the equations of general relativity.
    — Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2025
  • If general relativity holds, then Delta should be equal to zero.
    — James Geach, Scientific American, 5 July 2018
  • While quantum physics treats space and time as immutable, general relativity warps them for breakfast.
    — Adam Becker, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2022
  • The purpose of this bold mission would be to test the foundations of physics and general relativity.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Whereas quantum physics treats space and time as immutable, general relativity warps them for breakfast.
    — Adam Becker, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2022
  • But black holes take their cues from general relativity, the theory that space and time form a bendy fabric and gravity is the fabric’s curves.
    — Quanta Magazine, 23 Aug. 2021
  • The difference is a consequence of general relativity, which shows that the flow of time is slowed by massive objects.
    — Becky Ferreira, WIRED, 4 Sep. 2024
  • If general relativity is correct, those jiggles have a cookie-cutter form that depends only on each hole’s mass and spin.
    — Matt Von Hippel, Quanta Magazine, 27 Aug. 2025
  • And the theory of general relativity predicts how much that orbit changes.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Apr. 2020
  • Dark energy does help the universe add up but only on the macro scale—the one that falls under the jurisdiction of general relativity.
    — Richard Panek, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
  • The researchers take their general relativity equations and solve them for many parameters of the signal.
    — Kat Friedrich, Popular Mechanics, 8 Sep. 2022
  • Dark energy does help the universe add up but only on the macroscale—the one that falls under the jurisdiction of general relativity.
    — Richard Panek, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
  • All these topologies share the same geometry, which means general relativity treats them exactly the same.
    — Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2026
  • But general relativity has a fatal flaw.
    — Quanta Magazine, 3 June 2026
  • The distance is measured to within a few millimeters, enabling strong tests of general relativity.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026
  • The laws of physics that govern this behavior are Einstein’s field equations for general relativity.
    — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 20 June 2024
  • Thanks to their central singularity, black holes don't obey the laws of physics — even general relativity, the theory that first described them.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 11 June 2025
  • Meanwhile, the binary stars' own orbits also precess due the rules of general relativity.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Gödel pointed out to Einstein that the equations of general relativity appeared to allow time travel.
    — Steven Poole, WSJ, 1 June 2018
  • Einstein’s theory of general relativity states that the gravity of a massive object — the cluster — bends space-time around it.
    — Alison Klesman, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2019
  • The result would be an unprecedented test of general relativity around a supermassive black hole.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Feb. 2026
  • Black holes are predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which describes the universe on the largest scale.
    — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2024
  • The discoveries are the most direct proof yet that black holes truly exist and have the properties predicted by general relativity.
    — Davide Castelvecchi, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2018
  • Quantum physics enters the picture as a way to explain how very tiny things behave, filling one of the empty spots left by classical mechanics like general relativity.
    — Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 12 Oct. 2022
  • For instance, the station will use the world’s most precise clocks and coldest atoms to support fundamental research in general relativity and quantum physics.
    — Ling Xin, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2021
  • All attempts to disprove quantum mechanics and general relativity have failed.
    — Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
  • And because a black hole is just empty space (according to general relativity, infalling matter passes through the horizon but cannot linger), the parts of the black hole must be the parts of space itself.
    — George Musser, Scientific American, 1 June 2018
  • In standard general relativity, spacetime can bend under the influence of mass and energy.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Then, in 1915, Einstein came up with the second part of his theory, known as general relativity.
    — Matthew Pillsbury, Travel, 28 Dec. 2020
  • Penrose is one of the more respected scientists of the last half-century, and his work in cosmology and general relativity has garnered him high honors.
    — Steve Volk, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2018

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'general relativity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: