horsepower

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

|Updated on: 11 Aug 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

Yet the Daytona and Talladega Superspeedways are great equalizers: The tracks are so fast that the engine horsepower is choked down from about 750 to 450, so even the richest guys can’t just press the accelerator and pass a slower car.

— OrlandoSentinel.com, "Small NASCAR racing margins often come from big bucks," 8 July 2018
Today's beach fishermen power their skiffs with big four-strokes well over 70 horsepower.

— john schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, "At Bristol Bay, there’s a changing of the guard at the boatyard," 7 July 2018
Fishing capacity in Palamós—measured by increases in horsepower (the larger the engine, the greater the vessel’s range and capacity)—grew by 8,782 percent between 1900 and 2013.

— wendy mitman clarke, Smithsonian, "How a Fallback to Historic Traditions Might Save Catalonia’s Red Shrimp Fishery," 5 July 2018
The turbocharged four-cylinder motor churns out 248 horsepower, but feels overly subdued until the dynamic driving mode is activated, significantly changing throttle response to make the all-wheel-drive SUV a more engaging driver.

— daniel miller, latimes.com, "Just like underwear, wine and vitamins: You can subscribe to the Volvo XC40," 29 June 2018
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says the car can deliver 145 horsepower and hit almost 137 mph.

— eric d. lawrence, Detroit Free Press, "What's it like to drive a historic Italian roadster? We find out," 8 June 2018
Set to be released in 2019, the Taycan has two electric motors (one at the front and one at the rear), which give it more than 600 horsepower and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds.

— andrew j. hawkins, The Verge, "Porsche renames its all-electric Mission E vehicle the Taycan," 8 June 2018
When groups get tired or aren't moving quick enough to stay within their 90-minute window, they'll be pushed along by a 10 horsepower motor charged via rooftop solar panels.

— benjy egel, sacbee, "Booze cruise that doubles as a workout? Here's the latest way to enjoy the Sacramento River," 7 June 2018
Macs with Thunderbolt 3 ports and High Sierra 10.13.4 or higher can finally add some horsepower.

— gordon mah ung, PCWorld, "Hands on: Razer's Core X GPU enclosure is cheaper, bigger, and even works with Macs," 22 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.