steam engine
noun
: an engine driven or worked by steam
specifically
: a reciprocating engine having a piston driven in a closed cylinder by steam
Examples of steam engine in a Sentence
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In the early 1800s, as inventions like the Spinning Jenny and the steam engine reshaped Britain and soon the world, old mills were suddenly able to produce more goods than ever.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
But factories had been built with steam engines in their basements, powering overhead shafts that ran the length of the buildings, with belts and pulleys carrying power to individual machines.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
For Watt, a tolerance of one-tenth of an inch made his steam engines efficient.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
When James Watt improved steam engine efficiency, factories did not burn the same amount of coal to do the same work.
—Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steam engine
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Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
But factories had been built with steam engines in their basements, powering overhead shafts that ran the length of the buildings, with belts and pulleys carrying power to individual machines.
—Josh Tyrangiel, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
For Watt, a tolerance of one-tenth of an inch made his steam engines efficient.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
When James Watt improved steam engine efficiency, factories did not burn the same amount of coal to do the same work.
—Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for steam engine
Cite this Entry
“Steam engine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steam%20engine. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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