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

Together, the setup produces 563 horsepower and 524 lb-ft of torque, giving the large SUV performance figures closer to a sports sedan than a family vehicle. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026

That translates to a 50 xDrive model that has 470 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque from two electric motors powering all four wheels. —Joel Feder, The Drive, 14 May 2026

There could also be additional changes approved in the later stages of the debate that would increase the electrical energy-harvesting limits above the current limit of 350 kilowatts — roughly equivalent to 470 horsepower. —Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 14 May 2026

Paired with 8-speed automatic transmission, the Tiguan delivers 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. —Marc D. Grasso, Boston Herald, 14 May 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