Definition of movement
1a (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 movementsb (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 borderc : action, activity —usually used in plural carefully watched the movements of the crowd
2a : tendency, trend detected a movement toward fairer pricingb : 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
4a : motion 7b : the rhythmic character or quality of a musical composition a dance movementc : 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
5a : the quality (as in a painting or sculpture) of representing or suggesting motionb : the vibrant quality in literature that comes from elements that constantly hold a reader's interest (such as a quickly moving action-filled plot)
6a : an act of voiding (see 3void 2a) the bowelsb : matter expelled from the bowels at one passage
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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
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Claypool now may be amid the government challenge of a lifetime, given the school district’s teetering financial condition and the lack of movement in state government, from which CPS is trying to secure additional funding.
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The civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s presented new challenges to these toxic popular fictions and generated a new version of the story.
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The two countries are also putting pressure on Qatar to end its support for Islamist movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
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As the water protector movement expanded from North Dakota to other states, so did the surveillance.
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Day after day, with no presidential press conferences on the schedule, Trump watchers have instead parsed the president’s movements, and taken away messages that are at times painfully obvious, at times puzzling.
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But, to fully regain its moral prestige, Fatah needs the promise of charismatic leadership, and Abbas’s old rival in the movement, Marwan Barghouti, is turning up the heat on him.
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In Landrieu's words: The historic record is clear: the Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and P.G.T. Beauregard statues were not erected just to honor these men, but as part of the movement which became known as The Cult of the Lost Cause.
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The third movement brings Ms. Yanowsky together with the statuesque Reece Clarke (the Royal Ballet’s answer to Roberto Bolle) for a disappointingly predictable romantic pas de deux that gives way to a high-energy, confrontational ensemble finale.
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.
14th Century
First Known Use of movement
14th century
MOVEMENT Defined for English Language Learners
movement
playDefinition of movement for English Language Learners
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: the act or process of moving people or things from one place or position to another
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: the act of moving from one place or position to another
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: the act of moving your body or a part of your body
MOVEMENT Defined for Kids
movement
playDefinition 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
playMedical Definition of movement
1: the act or process of moving
2a: an act of voiding the bowels : bowel movementb: matter expelled from the bowels at one passage : stool
Learn More about movement
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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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