amplitude

8 synonyms for amplitude, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — In physics, the greatest distance a wave or vibrating object moves from its resting position, which for sound corresponds to loudness and for light to brightness.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

extent range scope

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

magnitude bounty breadth

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

peak displacement bountifulness

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun technical

In physics, the greatest distance a wave or vibrating object moves from its resting position, which for sound corresponds to loudness and for light to brightness.

“Doubling the amplitude of the sound wave makes the note much louder.”

magnitude peak displacement bounty bountifulness

2. noun formal

The size, range or extent of something.

“The amplitude of the swing in public opinion surprised the pollsters.”

breadth extent range scope magnitude

How to use amplitude

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

wave amplitude peak amplitude large amplitude amplitude and frequency

Standard scientific vocabulary; the 'extent' sense is literary and formal.

Etymology

From Latin amplitudo, from amplus 'large'.

Full origin of amplitude →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between amplitude and frequency?

Amplitude measures how far a wave moves from its rest position, which for sound means how loud it is. Frequency measures how many wave cycles pass a point each second, which for sound means how high or low the pitch is. A wave can be loud and low, or quiet and high, because the two are independent.

What is the difference between amplitude and wavelength?

Amplitude is measured vertically, from the centre line of the wave to a peak, while wavelength is measured horizontally, from one peak to the next. Amplitude describes strength; wavelength describes size along the direction of travel.

How is amplitude measured?

It is measured in whatever unit describes the displacement of the thing that is oscillating: metres for a pendulum, pascals of pressure for sound, and volts for an electrical signal.

People also searched

range extent scope magnitude bounty breadth

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of amplitude