horsepower

noun

horse·​pow·​er ˈhȯrs-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 

1

: the power that a horse exerts in pulling

2

: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equivalent to the English gravitational unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second

3

: effective power

intellectual horsepower

computing horsepower

Synonyms of horsepower

• power
• energy
• strength
• muscle

Examples of horsepower in a Sentence

an engine with 200 horsepower

that architectural firm probably doesn't have the creative horsepower to produce a truly innovative design

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, the carmaker is also working on a QX80 Track Spec that could make 680 horsepower or more, expected to come in 2028. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2026

Utilizes a new series-parallel hybrid system with 194 total system horsepower. —Tony Leopardo, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026

These compact nuclear reactors can produce up to about 100 megawatts (134,000 horsepower) of power. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 9 Mar. 2026

Our 2026 Toyota Tundra SR5 4×4 wrapped in Celestial Silver is powered by the favorite i-FORCE Twin-Turbo V6 engine, producing 389 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque with a 10-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift. —Marc D Grasso, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing horsepower

• shaft horsepower

Rhymes for horsepower

• candlepower
• cauliflower
• overpower
• superpower
• vavasour
• waterpower
• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• firepower
• manpower

Kids Definition

horsepower

noun

horse·​pow·​er ˈhȯr-ˌspau̇(-ə)r 

: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equal to the English unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second