modality

noun

mo·​dal·​i·​ty mō-ˈda-lə-tē How to pronounce modality (audio)
plural modalities
1
a
: the quality or state of being modal
b
: a modal quality or attribute : form
2
: the classification of logical propositions (see proposition sense 1) according to their asserting or denying the possibility, impossibility, contingency, or necessity of their content
3
: one of the main avenues of sensation (such as vision)
4
: a usually physical therapeutic agency

Examples of modality in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hotel spas have become expansive hubs of self-care, providing travelers with a full range of facials and lymphatic drainage massages, plus advanced modalities like infrared saunas, cold plunges, LED beds, oxygen chambers, and cryotherapy. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026 Clinical drug development is becoming increasingly complex, as the therapeutic landscape expands to include sophisticated modalities that present challenges traditional development approaches alone cannot always address efficiently. — Mirjam Trame, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 And studies on what helps patients in therapy, across different therapeutic modalities, illustrate the importance of the human relationship and of the patient and therapist being able to express emotion. — Steven Barrie-Anthony, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026 The Water element has everything to do with our emotions and intuition, while the Fixed modality is known to fixate, quite literally. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for modality

Word History

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of modality was in 1545

Rhymes for modality

See All Rhymes for modality

Browse Nearby Words

Modalistic Monarchianism
modality
modal value
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Modality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modality. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

modality

noun
mo·​dal·​i·​ty mō-ˈdal-ət-ē How to pronounce modality (audio)
plural modalities
1
: one of the main avenues of sensation (as vision)
2
a
: a usually physical therapeutic agency
b
: an apparatus for applying a modality

More from Merriam-Webster on modality

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about modality

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