moving 1 of 2

Definition of movingnext

moving

2 of 2

verb

present participle of move
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Synonym Chooser

How is the word moving distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of moving are affecting, impressive, pathetic, poignant, and touching. While all these words mean "having the power to produce deep emotion," moving may apply to any strong emotional effect including thrilling, agitating, saddening, or calling forth pity or sympathy.

a moving appeal for contributions

How do affecting and moving relate to one another?

Affecting is close to moving but most often suggests pathos.

an affecting deathbed reunion

In what contexts can impressive take the place of moving?

While in some cases nearly identical to moving, impressive implies compelling attention, admiration, wonder, or conviction.

an impressive list of achievements

When can pathetic be used instead of moving?

The meanings of pathetic and moving largely overlap; however, pathetic implies moving to pity or sometimes contempt.

pathetic attempts to justify misconduct

When could poignant be used to replace moving?

The words poignant and moving are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, poignant applies to what keenly or sharply affects one's sensitivities.

a poignant documentary on the homeless

When would touching be a good substitute for moving?

In some situations, the words touching and moving are roughly equivalent. However, touching implies arousing tenderness or compassion.

the touching innocence in a child's eyes

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 moving
Adjective
But both grew immensely from knowing one another, and their finding peace in the finale was one of the more moving moments of the entire series. Breanne L. Heldman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025 Our audience responses were the most moving part of this entire journey. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
Teachers will get help moving their stuff out, Maletta said. Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026 AstraZeneca is moving its GLP-1 pill elecoglipron into late-stage trials, while Roche is aiming to become a top three obesity player, with several treatments under development. Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for moving
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moving
Adjective
  • Kelly’s emotional two-dimensionality increases our anger on behalf of Pidgeon’s Carolyn, a vibrant professional woman who sees her life and her career toxified by the paparazzi and the press.
    Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
  • For me, that connection is the emotional core of 17.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Nezafati said the family is now considering closing the business permanently or relocating to Orange County, citing safety concerns.
    Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
  • By 1945, with the All-America Football Conference planning to put a team in Cleveland, Reeves had his sights on relocating to Los Angeles or Dallas.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Thought about driving a race car.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
  • In addition to the effects of the pandemic and tariffs, climate issues — drought in Vietnam, heavy rain in Indonesia, and hot, dry weather in Brazil — are blamed for reducing yields of coffee crops and driving up global prices.
    Matt Sedensky, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Set inside the world’s most popular video game, the film imagines a next-gen AI system that allows in-game characters to become sentient, shifting the game from entertainment into a living universe that awakens, evolves and begins interacting with human beings.
    Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
  • To his credit, the filmmaker handles this dark material with considerable showmanship, shifting from the most striking chiaroscuro black-and-white to bursts of near-garish technicolor, giving each grim coda a distinct visual texture.
    Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This will keep geese out of your yard without affecting its aesthetics.
    Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 15 Feb. 2026
  • How much Texans are able to feel how the Comptrollers office is positively affecting their lives, making their lives safer, better, more affordable.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
  • If Censori’s project was provoking the world by showing everything while saying nothing, Ye’s was saying everything—a lot of which was very, very bad.
    Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The lengths to which users have gone to try to keep GPT-4o alive, whether by persuading the company to keep it online or by preserving it themselves, speak to the importance the chatbot has taken in the lives of some of its users, potentially because of the nature of human psychology.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • In other words, if Warsh were to succeed in persuading his colleagues on the Board and FOMC in slimming down the Fed — something not at all sure given the limited power of the Chair — there would be difficult tradeoffs.
    Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In response, Walz issued an executive order activating cyber-security specialists from the Minnesota National Guard, and the FBI and private consultants quickly became involved.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 12 Feb. 2026
  • To fix the issue for customers, Toyota dealers will modify the left and right rear door switch circuits to prevent them from activating, even if a short occurs.
    Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Moving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moving. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on moving

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!