MOVES Synonyms: 455 Similar and Opposite Words

moves 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of move

as in relocates

to change the place or position of I need you to move all your books off that chair before company gets here

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Relevance

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as in drives

to set or keep in motion the hands of the wall clock are moved by battery

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as in shifts

to change one's position don't move while I'm trying to draw your portrait

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as in influences

to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response we were deeply moved by the program of patriotic music

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as in provokes

to rouse to strong feeling or action the heartfelt appeal moved the people to reach into their pockets and donate generously

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as in persuades

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

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as in activates

to cause to function this one button moves the whole machine

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as in exits

to leave a place often for another the police officer told the loiterers to move along

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moves

2 of 2

noun

plural of move

as in means

an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result retiring early was a smart move

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as in movements

the act or an instance of changing position don't make a move

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of moves

Verb

Such plaudits raise the question of how Movistar Plus moves forward from here. — John Hopewell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026 The mountains east to Hickory could see an average 3 or 4 inches of rain before the system moves from the region by Sunday afternoon, NWS meteorologist Chris Horne told The Charlotte Observer. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026 The launch comes as federal policy moves decisively toward domestic production. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 Seydoux plays Lucy, an experimental pianist who moves with her beloved but panic attack-liable husband Philip (Laurence Rupp) and young son to a rural farmhouse in Bavaria. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026 More rain is expected in the region as a weakening Isaias moves north. — Charles Minshew, AJC.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Then Sean moves away and grows up to become a spy who, after wrapping up a mission involving smuggling a nuclear warhead for reasons unknown, decides to pay an impromptu visit to his tweenage buddies. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026 Produced alongside Dave 1, the record moves through analog funk, synth-pop, darkwave, dub, tropical textures and the cinematic residue of Mexico City nightlife. — Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026 Riley was a direct inspiration on the record, and while the Bay Area composer did work with drones, his influence is more poignant here, in the way Schwendener breaks the melody down into pieces and moves them around. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Noun

Vaccarello, meanwhile, has already hinted that his any moves might take him beyond fashion. — Luke Leitch, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 Jake Johnson has been making a ton of moves lately in his acting career, segueing from one high profile project to the next. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 The moves come after Treasury yields fell during the previous session, having hit their highest level since 2002 earlier in the week. — Hugh Leask,sean Conlon, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Heat’s roster moves The Heat made roster moves following Thursday’s exhibition involving its Exhibit 10 players. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Not postseason punishment, just tactical moves based on opposing pitching. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 McKinsey’s data says some of those moves can be difficult for certain workers. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026 The investigation also figured in recent reassignments of two senior FBI counterterrorism supervisors in Washington, though the office’s leader said the moves were routine personnel decisions. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Analysts say the states’ moves could help American consumers and businesses on the margin, but none of the actions will drastically change the reality of high prices. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for moves

Verb

But Resurrection is a return to form, as our genial serial killer relocates to New York after his now-adult son starts his own murder spree.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
Verity follows renowned author Verity Crawford (Hathaway) and Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson), a struggling writer who relocates to the remote Crawford estate to ghostwrite for Verity.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of relocates

Verb

New seeker drives precision At the heart of PAC-3 Edge sits an advanced seeker developed at Lockheed Martin’s Strigo Product Center.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
Waymo’s new autonomous vehicle, called the Ojai, drives in Venice Beach, California, on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

— Henry Payne, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of drives

Verb

Kevin Mohatt | Reuters The Supreme Court heard a major case this week concerning an Intel retirement plan which could result in a decision that influences employers' appetite for private investments in 401(k)s.

— Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
AthenaZero is part of a more comprehensive research effort to understand how a robot’s physical construction influences its ability to manipulate objects.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of influences

Verb

In deceptively plain diction, the hurdle of one love relationship provokes an exploration of desire and belonging.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
The development provokes a leadership shake-up on both committees, prompting speculation on who will fill the spots when the next Congress opens in January.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of provokes

Verb

Text-message codes can be vulnerable when an attacker persuades a mobile carrier to transfer a victim’s number to the attacker’s phone.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Mark is reluctant to put up their impressive Westside home as loan collateral, but Sam persuades him that the risk will pay off and the election is all but sewn up.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of persuades

Verb

The declaration activates the state's emergency management plan to prepare for hurricanes and other potential natural disasters, allowing actions including the deployment of personnel and equipment to respond.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
The geometry of the dome itself regulates ventilation and activates natural air circulation through the stack effect, complemented by floor-level air intake to prevent direct drafts and maintain a consistent microclimate.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of activates

Verb

The museum now has up to six entrances and exits that visitors can come in and out of to curate their own journey.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
The Phillies’ 2022 World Series loss to the Houston Astros began a streak of five straight postseason appearances with progressively quicker exits — the NL Championship Series, two NLDS exits and now the wild-card loss.

— Charles Odum, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026