movement

noun

move·​ment ˈmüv-mənt How to pronounce movement (audio)
1
a(1)
: the act or process of moving
especially : change of place or position or posture
studying the movement of planets
(2)
: a particular instance or manner of moving
was entranced by her graceful movements
b(1)
: a tactical or strategic shifting of a military unit : maneuver
(2)
: the advance of a military unit
the steady movement of troops across the border
c
: action, activity
usually used in plural
carefully watched the movements of the crowd
2
a
: tendency, trend
detected a movement toward fairer pricing
b
: a series of organized activities working toward an objective
also : an organized effort to promote or attain an end
the civil rights movement
a movement to increase the minimum wage
3
: the moving parts of a mechanism that transmit a definite motion
4
b
: the rhythmic character or quality of a musical composition
a dance movement
c
: a distinct structural unit or division having its own key, rhythmic structure, and themes and forming part of an extended musical composition
The symphony consisted of three movements.
d
: particular rhythmic flow of language : cadence
a poem's movement
5
a
: the quality (as in a painting or sculpture) of representing or suggesting motion
b
: the vibrant quality in literature that comes from elements that constantly hold a reader's interest (such as a quickly moving action-filled plot)
6
a
: an act of voiding (see void entry 3 sense 2a) the bowels : bowel movement sense 3a
b
: matter expelled from the bowels at one passage : stool sense 3a

Examples of movement in a Sentence

He developed an efficient system for movement of raw materials to the factory. studying the movements of the planets We wore loose clothes to allow for easier movement. the graceful movements of a dancer The police have been keeping a careful record of his movements. There's a movement afoot to rename the town. a book about the history of the civil rights movement They joined the antiwar movement.
Recent Examples on the Web Furby’s eyes move up and down in a way meant to imitate an infant’s eye movements while scanning a parent’s face. Patrick House, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024 But Voice journalists were educating themselves alongside those who were on the front lines of these and other groundbreaking movements. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The largest movement of peoples across the seas occurred by brutal force, through the Atlantic slave trade. TIME, 18 Mar. 2024 The movement of the pieces occurred early in the morning, when the streets were otherwise empty. Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2024 Spot Bitcoin ETFs are investment vehicles that invest in Bitcoin, offering investors a more secure and accessible way to gain exposure to its price movements. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024 Though Milo is still and calm even in movement, her conviction comes through clearly and passionately. Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 17 Mar. 2024 By Nikole Hannah-Jones Five Takeaways From Nikole Hannah-Jones’s Essay on the ‘Colorblindness’ Trap How a 50-year campaign has undermined the progress of the civil rights movement. Nikole Hannah-Jones Nikole Hannah-Jones Phoebe Zerwick Sam Apple Kwame Anthony Appiah Yotam Ottolenghi Jillian Steinhauer Peter C. Baker John Hodgman, New York Times, 17 Mar. 2024 The watchmaker’s history of perpetual calendar movements dates back to 1967 with the caliber 2120/2800, which was housed in the thinnest selfwinding perpetual calendar wristwatch of its time. Cait Bazemore, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'movement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of movement was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near movement

Cite this Entry

“Movement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movement. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

movement

noun
move·​ment ˈmüv-mənt How to pronounce movement (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of moving
b
: an instance or manner of moving
observe the movement of a star
2
: a tendency or trend
detected a movement toward fairer pricing
3
a
: a program or series of acts working toward a desired end
a movement for political reform
b
: the group taking part in such a series of acts
join the movement
4
: a mechanical arrangement (as of wheels) for causing a particular motion (as in a clock or watch)
5
: a section of a longer piece of music
6

Medical Definition

movement

noun
move·​ment ˈmüv-mənt How to pronounce movement (audio)
1
: the act or process of moving
2
a
: an act of voiding the bowels : bowel movement
b
: matter expelled from the bowels at one passage : stool

More from Merriam-Webster on movement

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