movement

noun move·ment \ ˈmüv-mənt \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: movement in a Sentence

Definition of movement

1 a (1) : the act or process of moving; especially : change of place or position or posture

studying the movement of planets

(2) : a particular instance or manner of moving

was entranced by her graceful movements

b (1) : a tactical or strategic shifting of a military unit : maneuver

(2) : the advance of a military unit

the steady movement of troops across the border

c : action, activity —usually used in plural

carefully watched the movements of the crowd

2 a : tendency, trend

detected a movement toward fairer pricing

b : a series of organized activities working toward an objective; also : an organized effort to promote or attain an end

the civil rights movement

a movement to increase the minimum wage

3 : the moving parts of a mechanism that transmit a definite motion

4 a : motion 7

b : the rhythmic character or quality of a musical composition

a dance movement

c : a distinct structural unit or division having its own key, rhythmic structure, and themes and forming part of an extended musical composition

The symphony consisted of three movements.

d : particular rhythmic flow of language : cadence

a poem's movement

5 a : the quality (as in a painting or sculpture) of representing or suggesting motion

b : the vibrant quality in literature that comes from elements that constantly hold a reader's interest (such as a quickly moving action-filled plot)

6 a : an act of voiding (see ³void 2a) the bowels

b : matter expelled from the bowels at one passage

See movement defined for English-language learners

See movement defined for kids

Examples of movement in a Sentence

He developed an efficient system for movement of raw materials to the factory.
studying the movements of the planets
We wore loose clothes to allow for easier movement.
the graceful movements of a dancer
The police have been keeping a careful record of his movements.
There's a movement afoot to rename the town.
a book about the history of the civil rights movement
They joined the antiwar movement.

Recent Examples of movement from the Web

Maoist ideology plays no visible role in the monolith movement.

— The Economist, "Stone-carving villagers make Indian officials jittery," 7 June 2018
According to the study, which looked at each ocean basin where tropical systems form, a slowdown in the movement of the storms has been observed in every basin except the Northern Indian Ocean.

— brandon miller, CNN, "Hurricanes are slowing, which could be a big problem," 6 June 2018
Thirteen-year-old Carly Kulick of Davie, Florida, first got involved in the gun violence prevention movement after the shooting in Parkland, Florida.

— sarah emily baum, Teen Vogue, "Following Noblesville West Middle School Shooting, Young Activists Are Mobilizing Nationwide," 5 June 2018
With a heartbreaking school year behind them, a faction of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students involved in the gun reform movement are looking forward to traveling around the nation to get young people to the polls this fall.

— colleen wright, miamiherald, "The Parkland students are coming to a city near you to register teens to vote," 4 June 2018
Andrew Balio’s silken-toned trumpet work impressed in the second movement.

— tim smith, baltimoresun.com, "BSO shines in colorful program with Alsop, Gerstein," 2 June 2018
This form of cire perdue allowed him to create many of his elaborated molds of spiraling 18-carat gold (mixed to his own specifications to a warm, but not over-warm, tone) in one movement, before putting them in cold water to set.

— eve macsweeney, Vogue, "This Cult Danish Jeweler’s Work Will Be Reissued at Dover Street Market," 1 June 2018
Their alliance is reflected in the conservative movement’s alliance with the GOP.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "Grifters All the Way Down," 31 May 2018
Model and activist Harnaam Kaur, who holds a Guinness World Record as the youngest woman to grow a full beard, is a pioneer in this movement, sending out frequent messages of body positivity to her 112,00 Instagram followers.

— meredith clark, Allure, "5 Women With PCOS Explain Why They Choose to Celebrate Their Facial Hair," 29 May 2018

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

First Known Use of movement

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

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movement Synonyms

MOVEMENT Defined for English Language Learners

movement

noun

Definition of movement for English Language Learners

: the act or process of moving people or things from one place or position to another
: the act of moving from one place or position to another
: the act of moving your body or a part of your body

MOVEMENT Defined for Kids

movement

noun move·ment \ ˈmüv-mənt \

Definition of movement for Students

1 : the act or process of moving and especially changing place or position : an instance of moving

the movement of the planets

2 : a program or series of acts working toward a desired end

a reform movement

3 : a mechanical arrangement (as of wheels) for causing a particular motion (as in a clock or watch)

4 : a section of a longer piece of music

a movement in a symphony

5 : an emptying of waste matter from the bowels

Medical Dictionary

movement

noun move·ment \ ˈmüv-mənt \

medical Definition of movement

1 : the act or process of moving

2 a : an act of voiding the bowels : bowel movement

b : matter expelled from the bowels at one passage : stool

Learn More about movement

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for movement Spanish Central: Translation of movement Nglish: Translation of movement for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of movement for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about movement

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movement

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MOVEMENT Defined for English Language Learners

movement

Definition of movement for English Language Learners

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movement

Definition of movement for Students

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movement

medical Definition of movement

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