horsepower

noun horse·pow·er \ ˈhȯrs-ˌpau̇(-ə)r \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Examples: horsepower in a Sentence

Definition of horsepower

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

See horsepower defined for English-language learners

See horsepower defined for kids

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 of horsepower from the Web

After the summer, town officials issued an ordinance banning vehicles with engines over two horsepower, like Ms. Greber’s, during the main beach season.

— New York Times, "A New Jersey Town Actually Adds Beach Parking. And It’s on the Beach.," 28 May 2018
But the boffins in Stuttgart have been tinkering with their PHEV tech, adding more kWh, horsepower, torque, and generally refining all the software and control electronics that make everything work.

— jonathan m. gitlin, Ars Technica, "Porsche’s Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is a heck of a hybrid," 16 May 2018
The engine, which can also run on B20 biodiesel, is rated at 137 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft. of torque.

— jeff yip, Houston Chronicle, "Chevy’s smooth diesel Cruze hatchback boasts 600-mile range," 12 May 2018
The majority of the deaths occurred on roads that were being used to get onto freeways and involves SUVs or other vehicles with significant horsepower—the thought being that many of the drivers were speeding when the accident took place.

— emily price, Fortune, "Why Pedestrian Deaths Soared 46% in the U.S.," 8 May 2018
The new Mustang GT carries a 5.0-liter V8 engine with 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque and reaches 155 mph.

— phoebe wall howard, Detroit Free Press, "New 2019 Ford Mustang GT California Special adds muscle to lineup," 12 Mar. 2018
Benjamin had his eye on the blue Chiron Bugatti, with 1,500 horsepower and a top speed of 270 mph.

— mensah m. dean, Philly.com, "Cars, practical to priceless, get VIP parking at Philly Auto Show," 27 Jan. 2018
Earth receives energy at the rate of 5,000,000 horsepower per square mile.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Ask Tom: How much heat does Earth get from the sun, and does it drive the weather?," 28 May 2018
Some laws are of surprisingly recent origin: Vietnam’s ban on women driving tractors of 50 horsepower or more came into force in 2013.

— The Economist, "Labour laws in 104 countries reserve some jobs for men only," 26 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'horsepower.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.