torque

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈtȯrk 

1

: a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion

an automobile engine delivers torque to the drive shaft

also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation

2

: a turning or twisting force

torque

2 of 3

verb

torqued; torquing

transitive verb

: to impart torque to : cause to twist (as about an axis)

torquer noun

torque

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or torc

: a usually metal collar or neck chain worn by the ancient Gauls, Germans, and Britons

Examples of torque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What’s more, the humanoid’s knee actuator can deliver up to 320 Newton-meters (Nm) of peak torque. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026

Stock examples of the gas-only version make 577 horsepower and 593 lb-ft of torque, while the plug-in hybrid S E Performance model goes way further with 805 hp and 1,047 pound-feet of torque. —Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 19 Mar. 2026

Verb

The movement is largely conventional (lots of traditional ballet tricks for the men), but there is also a distinctive twisting, a wind-up torquing through the spine and torso, which the dancers ingeniously unravel. —Jennifer Homans, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

The sculptures, rather than resisting the opulent glamour of their original luxury retail settings, torqued it in a macabre direction. —Rachel Wetzler, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Latin torquēre to twist

Noun (2)

French, from Latin torques, from torquēre to twist — more at torture entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1959, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1695, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing torque

• torque converter

Rhymes for torque

• bork
• dork
• fork
• pork
• stork
• pitchfork

Medical Definition

torque

1 of 2 noun

ˈtȯrk 

: a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion

also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation

torque

2 of 2 transitive verb

torqued; torquing

: to impart torque to : cause to twist (as a tooth about its long axis)