kinetic
adjective
Did you know?
Ever watch a top spin? Or see one pool ball collide with another and send it across the felt? When you do, you’re witnessing kinetic energy—the energy of something in motion. Kinetics is a branch of science that deals with the effects of forces upon the motions of material bodies, and something described as kinetic has to do with the motion of material bodies and the forces associated with them. Both words were adopted in the 19th century from the Greek word kinētikos (meaning "of motion") for use in the field of physics, but the adjective kinetic proved too apt for broader application, and by the 1930s it was being used to describe people and things full of literal and figurative energy as well.
Examples of kinetic in a Sentence
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
The incident was a stark reminder that while Earth’s atmosphere is an incredibly effective shield, absorbing the lion’s share of cosmic impacts, a large enough kinetic punch can still reach the surface below.
—Shawn Laatsch, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
According to the company, the electronic attack variant is intended to provide non-kinetic effects on the battlefield by disrupting and degrading enemy sensors and reconnaissance networks.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
To be sure, Devlin’s 30-year career and work features momentous installations and kinetic performance sculptures in museums, galleries, theaters, opera houses and Olympic stadiums.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for kinetic
Cite this Entry
“Kinetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinetic. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kinetic
adjective
from Greek kinētikos "relating to motion," derived from kinein "to move" — related to cinema
Medical Definition
kinetic
adjective
kī-
