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

In the early 1950s, as the industry consolidated and farms grew, company leaders rented a butcher shop, covered the walls in brown paper and charged a team of engineers with figuring out how to build higher-horsepower tractors. —Tyler Jett, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026

But this loss of horsepower and expertise has come at the cost of her own effectiveness in the role—if, that is, effectiveness is really the goal to begin with. —Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026

The engine is an 850cc four-stroke gasser making 54 horsepower at 5,750 rpm. —Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 8 Apr. 2026

Jumping down from his bright-green, 400-horsepower tractor, Stuart Josselyn wastes no time giving his view on geopolitics while standing on the plowed earth. —Alexander Smith, NBC news, 6 Apr. 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