neutron star

noun

Synonyms of neutron starnext
: a dense celestial object that consists primarily of closely packed neutrons and that results from the collapse of a much larger stellar body

Examples of neutron star in a Sentence

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After the explosion, Betelgeuse A will probably leave behind a superdense neutron star with an incredibly strong magnetic field. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026 Material spiraling toward a black hole can be heated to millions of degrees before crossing the event horizon, while neutron stars, supernova remnants and the enormous reservoirs of hot gas filling galaxy clusters also emit strongly in X-rays. — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The neutrinos themselves could reveal what the explosion leaves behind — potentially a neutron star or a black hole. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 The bursts last a few milliseconds to a few hundred seconds, and are thought to be caused by the merger of two neutron stars (the short bursts), or the collapse of large stars, creating a black hole (the long ones). — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for neutron star

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of neutron star was in 1934

Rhymes for neutron star

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Browse Nearby Words

neutron bomb
neutron star
neutropenia
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Cite this Entry

“Neutron star.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neutron%20star. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

neutron star

noun
: a very dense object in space that consists of closely packed neutrons and is produced by the collapse of a much larger star

More from Merriam-Webster on neutron star

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for neutron star

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about neutron star

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