Radio Definition: Examples, Phrases, and Exercises

It really helps to understand the meaning of “radio” by observing it in those simple contexts where it can be tedious: in the house, in the car, or at work.

Repetition of the same word constantly can make the speech sound dull. The use of alternative vocabulary and synonyms encourages the learners to speak more fluently and securely.

Related nouns: music news broadcast

Synonyms (contextual): radio set receiver

Common collocations: listen to the radio turn on the radio radio station

Repeating the right word combinations will help someone to form clear and direct sentences that are natural in everyday English.

With adjectives: old radio small radio portable radio

With verbs: repair the radio broadcast on the radio record from the radio

With nouns (noun + noun): radio show radio channel radio signal

Idioms and set phrases let learners realize how native speakers usually speak in everyday situations.

• On the radio — being broadcast so people can hear it.

  My favorite song is on the radio right now.

• A face for radio — a humorous phrase about someone’s appearance (often meaning they look better heard than seen).

  He joked he had a face for radio, so he would never be on TV.

• Radio silence — no news or no communication for a period of time.

  He didn’t call or write for weeks — total radio silence.

• Off the radio — not being broadcast anymore.

  That old show is off the radio now.

• Radio-friendly — describing music or content that is suitable for being played on radio.

  Muse’s latest song is very radio-friendly.

We have easy activities to check how well you remember the meaning and practical application of the word “radio.”

How to say the term “radio” in different European languages? Easy, as it is almost the same in Spanish, French and German:

In order to define a “radio” and to make it easy to remember, it is suggested to look at these facts about the radio:

• The first public radio broadcast took place in 1920.

  On January 13, 1910, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, USA, aired the world’s first public radio program.

• The world’s smallest radio is really tiny.

  The engineers made a micro-radio, which is even smaller than a grain of rice, and thus demonstrating the high-tech level of radio technology.

• There are some radios that can float on water.

  Waterproof radios, which are specially made for fishing or camping can be used even outdoors for listening to music or news.

• Radio waves have a long reach.

  AM radio waves have the ability to travel hundreds of kilometers which is mainly the reason why listeners in rural locations can still be able to hear the broadcasts.

• More people listen to radio in cars as compared to homes.

  The research indicates that more than 60% of radio listening occurs in cars, hence radio has become one of the most favored travel mates across the globe.

One of the most powerful examples of how radio has the ability to unite people has been shared by quotations from famous personalities, their words being storytelling, information, and emotion.