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move

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of move

1 an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result

  • retiring early was a smart move
Synonyms of move

expedient, means, measure, shift, step
Words Related to move

act, action, deed, doing, feat, thing

course, procedure, proceeding, process

accomplishment, achievement, attainment, coup, exploit, success, triumph

activity, affair, business, dealing, enterprise, event

attempt, crack, endeavor, essay, fling, go, initiative, operation, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, undertaking, whack

effort, exertion, labor, pains, trouble, while, work

project, proposal, proposition

makeshift, resort, resource, stopgap

countermeasure, countermove, counterstep

2 the act or an instance of changing position

  • donʼt make a move
Synonyms of move

motion, movement, shift, shifting, stir, stirring
Words Related to move

dislocation, migration, relocation

locomotion, mobility, motility, motivity

fiddling, fidgeting, squirm, squirming, twitching, wriggling, writhing

flailing, flapping, waving
Near Antonyms of move

immobility

inertia, inertness, stillness

cessation, discontinuance, ending, expiration, finish, halt, lapse, pause, shutdown, shutoff, stop, stoppage, surcease, termination
Antonyms of move

motionlessness

move

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of move

1 to change the place or position of

  • I need you to move all your books off that chair before company gets here
Synonyms of move

budge, dislocate, displace, disturb, relocate, remove, reposition, shift, transfer, transpose
Words Related to move

bear, carry, cart, convey, drive, haul, lug, tote, transmit, transplant, transport

replace, supersede, supplant

alter, make over, modify, redo, refashion, remake, remodel, revamp, revise, rework, vary
Near Antonyms of move

anchor, fix, freeze, moor, secure, set, stabilize

embed (also imbed), entrench (also intrench), implant, ingrain (also engrain), lodge, root

2 to set or keep in motion

  • the hands of the wall clock are moved by battery
Synonyms of move

actuate, drive, impel, propel, work
Words Related to move

activate, motivate, provoke

abet, ferment, foment, incite, raise, stir (up), whip (up)

set off, trigger, trip

arouse, excite, fire (up), galvanize, inflame (also enflame), inspire, instigate, rouse, stimulate
Near Antonyms of move

bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, inhibit, regulate, rein (in), restrain

3 to change one's position

  • donʼt move while Iʼm trying to draw your portrait
Synonyms of move

budge, locomote, shift, stir
Words Related to move

fiddle, fidget, jiggle, squiggle, squirm, toss, twitch, wiggle, wriggle, writhe

rouse
Near Antonyms of move

hang around, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

stabilize
Antonyms of move

freeze, still

4 to act upon (a person or a personʼs feelings) so as to cause a response

  • we were deeply moved by the program of patriotic music
Synonyms of move

affect, impact, impress, influence, reach, strike, sway, tell (on), touch
Words Related to move

carry away, dazzle, enrapture, entrance, enthrall (or enthral), ravish, transport

bias, color

inspire, stir

engage, interest, involve, penetrate, pierce

afflict, agitate, bother, concern, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, distress, disturb, fluster, harass, harry, perturb, pester, plague, smite, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, wring

allure, attract, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, fascinate
Phrases Synonymous with move

get to
Near Antonyms of move

bore, jade, pall, tire, weary

underwhelm

5 to rouse to strong feeling or action

  • the heartfelt appeal moved the people to reach into their pockets and donate generously
Synonyms of move

arouse, encourage, excite, fire (up), impassion, incite, instigate, pique, provoke, rev (up), spark, stimulate, stir
Words Related to move

fan, ignite, inflame (also enflame), kindle, trigger

activate, animate, drive, energize, galvanize, induce, inspire, key (up), motivate, motive, pump up, quicken, set off, vitalize

abet, ferment, foment, raise, whip (up)

anger, enrage, madden, upset

jeer, taunt, tease

aggravate, annoy, bother, exasperate, gall, get, irritate, vex
Phrases Synonymous with move

build a fire under
Near Antonyms of move

calm, soothe, subdue, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

appease, mollify, pacify, placate

6 to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest requests

  • the report moved me to change my mind about the issue
Synonyms of move

argue, bring, bring around, convert, convince, gain, get, induce, persuade, prevail (on or upon), satisfy, talk (into), win (over)
Words Related to move

blandish, blarney, cajole, coax, entreat, exhort, fast-talk, urge, wheedle

allure, beguile, lead on, lure, seduce, snow, tempt

brainwash, overpersuade

incline, influence, move, prompt, sell, sway

attract, draw, entice, interest

chew over, converse, debate, discuss, dispute, hash (over), moot

reason (with)
Near Antonyms of move

deter, discourage, dissuade, unsell

7 to cause to function

  • this one button moves the whole machine
Synonyms of move

activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, run, set off, spark, start, touch off, trigger, turn on
Words Related to move

kick over, turn over

charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push

discharge, launch, release, switch, trip

reactivate, recharge

arouse, excite, jump-start, kick-start, stimulate, vitalize

ignite, incite, instigate, provoke, quicken, stir up

accelerate, catalyze, speed (up), step up
Near Antonyms of move

arrest, brake, check, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick, stop

decelerate, repress, slow, stunt, suppress
Antonyms of move

cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off

8 to leave a place often for another

  • the police officer told the loiterers to move along
Synonyms of move

bail, bail out, begone, book [slang], bug off, bug out, bugger off [British slang], buzz (off), clear off [chiefly British], clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get, get off, go, go off, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper [British], shove (off), step (along), take off, vamoose, walk out
Words Related to move

set out, start, strike out

abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle [chiefly British], run away, scat, scram, skip

go out, light out, step out

abandon, desert, forsake, vacate

emigrate

adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
Phrases Synonymous with move

beat it, hit the road, pull stakes (or pull up stakes), take a hike (also take a walk), take a powder
Near Antonyms of move

abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry

approach, close, near

hit, land, reach
Antonyms of move

arrive, come, show up, turn up

Synonym Discussion of move

move, actuate, drive, impel mean to set or keep in motion. move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position.
    • moved the furniture
actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion.
    • turbines actuated by waterpower
drive implies imparting forward and continuous motion and often stresses the effect rather than the impetus.
    • a ship driven aground by hurricane winds
impel is usually figurative and suggests a great motivating impetus.
    • a candidate impelled by ambition

Learn More about move

  1. See words that rhyme with move Dictionary: Definition of move Medical Dictionary: Definition of move Spanish Central: Translation of move Nglish: Translation of move for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of move for Arabic speakers

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