magnet
gb/mˈæɡnɪt/ us/mˈæɡnɪt/
B1
English
~ 8300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
object that attracts iron and steel
A special piece of metal that can pull some metals, like iron, toward it.
Usage pattern:
a magnet attracts [metal]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "magnet" (the object) with "magnetic" (the property). Use "magnet" for the thing itself ("a strong magnet") and "magnetic" to describe materials or fields ("a magnetic field").
Synonyms
magnetic object (More general and technical; not limited to common everyday magnets.)
|
lodestone (A naturally occurring mineral that acts as a magnet; much less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
nonmagnetic material (Describes substances that are not attracted by a magnet.)
|
demagnetized metal (Metal that has lost its ability to act as a magnet.)
Collocations
fridge magnet
|bar magnet
|horseshoe magnet
|permanent magnet
|strong magnet
|electromagnet
Themes
science
|physics
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The teacher used a bar magnet to show how it attracts paper clips.
- I keep the recipe on the fridge with a small round magnet.
- An electromagnet is a type of magnet that works only when electricity flows through it.
- The speaker contains a powerful magnet inside it.
- He ran a magnet over the floor to pick up the tiny nails.
Learner examples
- The magnet pulls the nail toward it.
- We put a magnet on the fridge door.
- This magnet is not strong enough to lift the key.
- She showed the children how a magnet can pick up pins.
Noun
B2
entity
2
thing that strongly attracts others
A place, person, or thing that many people or things are strongly drawn to.
Usage pattern:
a magnet for [people/things]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think a "magnet" in this sense must be a physical object. In modern English, it is often used metaphorically: you say something is "a magnet for tourists / trouble / talent" to mean it strongly attracts those things, not that it is made of magnetic material.
Synonyms
attraction (Very close in meaning but more general; does not highlight the strength of the pull as vividly as "magnet".)
|
draw (Informal and slightly weaker; suggests something that makes people interested or makes them come.)
Antonyms
deterrent (Something that keeps people or things away instead of pulling them in.)
|
repellent (Something that actively drives people or things away.)
Collocations
a magnet for tourists
|a magnet for investment
|a magnet for talent
|a magnet for trouble
|a magnet for young people
|a magnet for business
Themes
metaphor
|people
|travel
|society
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The city has become a magnet for tech startups.
- This beach is a magnet for surfers from around the world.
- Low taxes have turned the region into a magnet for foreign investment.
- Her lively personality makes her a magnet for new friends.
- Because of its nightlife, the neighborhood is a magnet for trouble on weekends.
Learner examples
- The big shopping mall is a magnet for teenagers.
- The new park is a magnet for families with small children.
- The famous museum is a magnet for tourists.
- High salaries make the company a magnet for top engineers.
Grammar
Dictionary form
magnet
IPA
GB/mˈæɡnɪt/
US/mˈæɡnɪt/
Syllables & stress
mag - net (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (mag)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: magnet
- Plural: magnets
Word family
Forms
magnets
noun
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
nonmagnetic
adjective
demagnetize
verb
Advanced or less common
magnetization
noun
Expressions
a magnet for [something]
1/ə mˈæɡnɪt fɚ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
something that strongly attracts X
Used to say that a place, person, or thing strongly attracts many people or things of a certain kind.
Examples
- The new stadium is a magnet for sports fans.
- High rents have made the city center a magnet for wealthy investors.
- The quiet village suddenly became a magnet for artists and writers.
babe magnet
1/bˈeɪb mˈæɡnɪt/
idiom
slang
person/thing attracting attractive people
A person, or sometimes a thing like a car or house, that attracts many very attractive people; very informal and often joking.
Examples
- He calls his new boat a babe magnet.
- That rooftop bar is a babe magnet on summer nights.
- They designed the ad to make the phone look like a total babe magnet.
money magnet
1/mˈʌni mˈæɡnɪt/
fixed phrase
person or thing attracting money
A person, business, or place that brings in a lot of money or investment.
Examples
- With its popular app, the company has become a money magnet for investors.
- Her online courses turned into a real money magnet.
- The city hopes the new convention center will be a money magnet.
tourist magnet
1/tˈʊɹɪst mˈæɡnɪt/
fixed phrase
place attracting many tourists
A place that many tourists visit because it is very interesting or famous.
Examples
- Since the film was released, the town has become a major tourist magnet.
- The ancient castle is a tourist magnet in the region.
- Beautiful beaches and cheap hotels make the island a tourist magnet.
trouble magnet
1/tɹˈʌbəl mˈæɡnɪt/
idiom
informal
person who often attracts trouble
A person or place where problems, fights, or accidents seem to happen again and again.
Examples
- He's a total trouble magnet and always gets into fights.
- That bar is a trouble magnet on Friday nights.
- She joked that her little brother is a trouble magnet wherever he goes.
chick magnet
1/t͡ʃˈɪk mˈæɡnɪt/
idiom
slang
man or thing that attracts women
A man, or sometimes a thing like a car or dog, that makes many women feel interested in him.
Examples
- He bought a sports car thinking it would be a chick magnet.
- He bought that sports car because he thinks it will be a chick magnet.
- His cute puppy is a real chick magnet at the park.
- With his guitar and curly hair, he was a total chick magnet in college.
- In the commercial, the new cologne is shown as a chick magnet that every woman notices.
- The puppy turned out to be a real chick magnet at the park.