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
2
3
: the moving parts of a mechanism that transmit a definite motion
4
a
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
Within the app, teens use Scratch to move coding blocks that then command the drone to perform all types of movements and tricks.
—
Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024
Right brought the movement political credibility, firmly anchoring them in the Republican Party and moving the social and cultural values of the white South to the forefront of American political debate.
—TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The announcement of this campaign which was already live further noted the grassroots movement that has allowed the organization to thrive since 2010.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024
But movement away from outsourcing computing power and toward native chip design could loosen Nvidia’s chokehold on the market.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Crabb was no stranger to the American settlement movement called freebooting or filibustering, in which amateur imperialists launched expeditions in Mexico and Central America in hopes of spreading their ideals of Christian civilization.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
The synergy between remote work and travel is reshaping the future of employment and leisure, with Asia at the forefront of this movement.
—William Mullane, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
This weekend’s performance features eight dancers performing six movements on the human life cycle from birth to death and the complicated relationships to self and others in four stages of human psychology.
—James Russell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
India, agencies reported, is focused on suppressing support for a Sikh separatist movement that seeks to carve an independent state and opposes Canadian candidates perceived to support it.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
Maya Polton, Parents, 12 Apr. 2024
Right brought the movement political credibility, firmly anchoring them in the Republican Party and moving the social and cultural values of the white South to the forefront of American political debate.
—TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
The announcement of this campaign which was already live further noted the grassroots movement that has allowed the organization to thrive since 2010.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 11 Apr. 2024
But movement away from outsourcing computing power and toward native chip design could loosen Nvidia’s chokehold on the market.
—Dylan Sloan, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
Crabb was no stranger to the American settlement movement called freebooting or filibustering, in which amateur imperialists launched expeditions in Mexico and Central America in hopes of spreading their ideals of Christian civilization.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
The synergy between remote work and travel is reshaping the future of employment and leisure, with Asia at the forefront of this movement.
—William Mullane, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
This weekend’s performance features eight dancers performing six movements on the human life cycle from birth to death and the complicated relationships to self and others in four stages of human psychology.
—James Russell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2024
India, agencies reported, is focused on suppressing support for a Sikh separatist movement that seeks to carve an independent state and opposes Canadian candidates perceived to support it.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near movement
Cite this Entry
“Movement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movement. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
movement
noun
move·ment
ˈmüv-mənt 
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
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
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