SKIP TO CONTENT

centripetal

centripetally

Centripetal is an adjective describing a force that brings things toward the center, not unlike the force of a black hole.

Centripetal is often confused with the word centrifugal. They may begin the same way, but they mean the exact opposite. Centrifugal is the force that moves things outward. You might remember that centripetal means to move things in, because the petals on a flower all begin in the middle.

Definitions of centripetal
  1. adjective
    tending to move toward a center
    centripetal force”
    Synonyms:
    inward-developing
    toward an axis, as in a sunflower; the oldest flowers are near the edge, the youngest in the center
    inward-moving
    moving or directed toward the center or axis, especially when spinning or traveling in a curve
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    centrifugal
    tending to move away from a center
    outward-developing
    away from an axis, as in a flower cluster in which the oldest flowers are in the center, the youngest near the edge
    outward-moving
    moving or directed away from center, especially when spinning or traveling in a curve
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    tending to unify
    synonyms: unifying
    centralising, centralizing
    tending to draw to a central point
  3. adjective
    of a nerve fiber or impulse originating outside and passing toward the central nervous system
    synonyms: receptive, sensory
    afferent
    of nerves and nerve impulses; conveying sensory information from the sense organs to the CNS
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘centripetal'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE

Look up centripetal for the last time

Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.

VocabTrainer - Vocabulary.com's Vocabulary Trainer