momentum

noun

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mo·men·tum | \ mō-ˈmen-təm

, mə- \

plural momenta\ mō-ˈmen-tə

, mə- \ or momentums

Definition of momentum

1 : a property (see property sense 1a) of a moving body that the body has by virtue of its mass (see mass entry 2 sense 1c) and motion and that is equal to the product of the body's mass and velocity broadly : a property of a moving body that determines the length of time required to bring it to rest when under the action of a constant force or moment

2 : strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events The wagon gained momentum as it rolled down the hill.

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Examples of momentum in a Sentence

The company has had a successful year and hopes to maintain its momentum by introducing new products. The movie loses momentum toward the end.

Recent Examples on the Web The 14th-inning offensive momentum carried over into Saturday when Auburn scored seven runs in the first three innings. — Giana Han, al, "Weekly Auburn roundup: Tennis men and women earn SEC honors," 3 May 2021 Orlando continued the momentum into the third quarter. — Roy Parry, orlandosentinel.com, "Mo Bamba, R.J. Hampton come up big as Magic get past Pistons for road win," 3 May 2021 The momentum is swinging away from the approaches of the 1990s, which brought California the three-strikes law that delivered 25-years-to-life sentences for a some who committed their third felony. — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, "In push to fix unjust and harsh sentences, 84-year-old San Diego man to be released on parole," 3 May 2021 In a separate video, people appear to be being pulled back and forward by the momentum of a crowd. — Saphora Smith, NBC News, "'A heavy disaster': More than 40 killed as stampede crushes attendees of religious festival in Israel," 30 Apr. 2021 But a defensive breakdown allowed Holiday an open layup to halt the momentum and the Bucks closed with a 6-2 spurt to take a 52-44 lead into the half. — Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Bucks 108, Bulls 98: With Giannis on the bench again, Milwaukee manages to grab a little momentum," 30 Apr. 2021 Trinity batted around in the bottom of the inning to retake the momentum. — Dallas News, "Playoff softball roundup: McKinney Boyd surprises Flower Mound, Euless Trinity tops Keller, plus more area recaps," 30 Apr. 2021 This time, the families have the momentum of Derek Chauvin's guilty verdict and the aftermath of national civil unrest. — Rick Klein, Averi Harper, ABC News, "Biden sets defining course for Democratic Party: The Note," 30 Apr. 2021 To keep the momentum and interests sparked over the topic, the Mayor of Milan proposed to create a pact among cities. — Daniela De Lorenzo, Forbes, "Network Of Cities To Tackle Urban Food Policies Expands," 28 Apr. 2021

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

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Last Updated

7 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Momentum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/momentum. Accessed 12 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for momentum

momentum

noun

English Language Learners Definition of momentum

: the strength or force that something has when it is moving

: the strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes

physics : the property that a moving object has due to its mass and its motion

See the full definition for momentum in the English Language Learners Dictionary

momentum

noun

mo·men·tum | \ mō-ˈmen-təm

Kids Definition of momentum

: the force that a moving body has because of its weight and motion

momentum

noun

mo·men·tum | \ mō-ˈment-əm, mə-ˈment-

plural momenta\ -ˈment-ə

\ or momentums

Medical Definition of momentum

: a property of a moving body that the body has by virtue of its mass and motion and that is equal to the product of the body's mass and velocity broadly : a property of a moving body that determines the length of time required to bring it to rest when under the action of a constant force