torque

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion
an automobile engine delivers torque to the drive shaft
also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation
2
: a turning or twisting force

torque

2 of 3

verb

torqued; torquing

transitive verb

: to impart torque to : cause to twist (as about an axis)
torquer noun

torque

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or torc
: a usually metal collar or neck chain worn by the ancient Gauls, Germans, and Britons

Examples of torque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The top-of-the-line Defender 90 V8 Carpathian Edition’s mill produces 518 hp and 461 ft lbs of torque, which is sent to all four wheels via an eight-automatic transmission. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 The urban-friendly bike has five different pedal-assist modes, and employs a mid-drive motor that provides up to 140 newton-meter-seconds of torque to pick up speed quickly, powered by a 500-watt motor that runs off a 500-watt-hour battery. Nathan Borchelt, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2024 Alaska Airlines and United Airlines inspections of 737 Max 9 planes in the wake of the Jan. 5 accident found some aircraft with door plugs that contained bolts that were not tightened to specified torque levels. CORRECTION (Jan. 22, 2024, 9:46 a.m. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2024 The application of a magnetic torque can allow sand to flow uphill. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024 The brawny mill is connected to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and two-speed transfer cases that route 416 horses and 450 ft lbs of torque to all four wheels. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024 This boosts output by 40 percent, delivering 1,025 hp and 945 ft lbs of torque when running on E85 fuel. Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 1 Feb. 2024 No matter what your lifestyle, the 2024 Seltos delivers a very capable driving experience with a powerful 1.6L turbocharged 4 cylinder engine that has 195 horsepower (HP) and 195 lb.-ft. of torque bolted to an 8 speed automatic transmission. Tony Leopardo, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2024 Electrical motors can produce peak power, or torque, almost instantly, unlike mashing the gas pedal of a regular car, which requires gas to flow and burn in cylinders and a bunch of mechanical parts to start moving. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024
Verb
Headrests flew away, and frames were torqued on two seats, Homendy said. Gisele Lamarre, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2024 But an alternative is that Mimas' rocky core is oddly shaped, creating an opportunity for the gravitational pull of Saturn and the other moons to torque it somewhat differently each orbit. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2024 Hubble uses spinning reaction wheels to torque the spacecraft in large movements from one direction to another. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2023 Tork torques his torque Of course, not all the stats for the Tigers are bad. Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 24 Apr. 2023 Yeah, these wheel guns are a cut above your average impact wrench that your local mechanic uses to torque your wheel lugs within an inch of their life. Matt Crisara, Popular Mechanics, 30 Mar. 2023 Dabiri says there is reason to expect the opposite, since wakes often hit rotors unevenly, torquing their components. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2023 But in some cases the bolt that holds the steering wheel in place might not have been properly torqued. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2023 Power is increased marginally, as well, from 402 hp (300 kW) to 416 hp (310 kW), and torque a little more substantially from 486 lb-ft (660 Nm) to 546 lb-ft (740 Nm). Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Latin torquēre to twist

Noun (2)

French, from Latin torques, from torquēre to twist — more at torture entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1959, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1695, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of torque was in 1695

Dictionary Entries Near torque

Cite this Entry

“Torque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torque. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

torque

1 of 2 noun
: a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion
also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation

torque

2 of 2 transitive verb
torqued; torquing
: to impart torque to : cause to twist (as a tooth about its long axis)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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