move
Americanverb (used without object)
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to pass from one place or position to another.
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to go from one place of residence to another.
They moved from Tennessee to Texas.
- Synonyms:
- remove
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to advance or progress.
The red racing car moved into the lead.
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to have a regular motion, as an implement or a machine; turn; revolve.
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to sell or be sold.
That new model is moving well.
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to start off or leave.
It's time to be moving.
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to transfer a piece in a game, as chess or checkers.
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(of the bowels) to discharge or eject the feces; evacuate.
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to be active in a particular sphere.
to move in musical society.
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to take action; proceed.
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to make a formal request, application, or proposal.
to move for a new trial.
verb (used with object)
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to change from one place or position to another.
- Antonyms:
- fix
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to set or keep in motion.
- Synonyms:
- agitate
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to prompt, actuate, or impel to some action.
What moved you to do this?
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to arouse or excite the feelings or passions of; affect with emotion (usually followed byto ).
to move someone to anger.
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to affect with tender or compassionate emotion; touch.
The tale of tragedy moved her.
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to transfer (a piece in a game) from one position to another.
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to dispose of (goods) by sale.
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to cause (the bowels) to discharge or eject the feces.
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to propose formally, as to a court or judge, or for consideration by a deliberative assembly.
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to submit a formal request or proposal to (a court, a sovereign, etc.).
noun
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an act or instance of moving; movement.
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a change of location or residence.
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an action toward an objective or goal; step.
a move toward a higher tax.
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(in chess, checkers, etc.) a player's right or turn to make a play.
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a play or maneuver, as in a game or sport.
verb phrase
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move up to advance to a higher level.
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move on
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to leave or go away.
I’ve been in this job ten years and it’s time to move on.
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to approach or attack as a military target.
The army is moving on the capital itself.
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to progress or change.
Those hats were popular once, but fashion has moved on.
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to move past an upsetting experience and go on with one’s life.
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move over to change or cause to change to another position, especially to make room for another.
to make space by moving over.
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move in to begin to occupy a place in which to live or work.
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move in on
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to approach or make advances toward usurping another's success, authority, position, or the like.
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to take aggressive steps to control or possess.
The company has not yet moved in on the consumer market.
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move out to leave a place in order to start or continue a planned march, maneuver, journey, etc..
The troops will move out of the encampment at dawn.
idioms
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make one's move, to act, especially to assert oneself at an opportune time.
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put moves on, to make sexual advances toward. Also make a move on.
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on the move,
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busy; active.
on the move from morning till night.
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going from place to place.
Infantry units have been on the move all day.
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advancing; progressing.
an industry on the move.
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get a move on,
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to begin; act.
We'd better get a move on before it rains.
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to hurry; hasten.
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verb
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to go or take from one place to another; change in location or position
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(usually intr) to change (one's dwelling, place of business, etc)
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to be or cause to be in motion; stir
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(intr) (of machines, etc) to work or operate
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(tr) to cause (to do something); prompt
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(intr) to begin to act
move soon or we'll lose the order
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(intr) to associate oneself with a specified social circle
to move in exalted spheres
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(intr) to make progress
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(tr) to arouse affection, pity, or compassion in; touch
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(in board games) to change the position of (a piece) or (of a piece) to change position
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(intr) (of merchandise) to be disposed of by being bought
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to suggest (a proposal) formally, as in debating or parliamentary procedure
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(intr; usually foll by on or along) to go away or to another place; leave
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to cause (the bowels) to evacuate or (of the bowels) to be evacuated
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informal (intr) to be exciting or active
the party started moving at twelve
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to take every step possible (to achieve something)
noun
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the act of moving; movement
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one of a sequence of actions, usually part of a plan; manoeuvre
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the act of moving one's residence, place of business, etc
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a player's turn to move his piece or take other permitted action
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a permitted manoeuvre of a piece
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informal
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to get started
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to hurry up
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informal (usually used with a negative) to take even the slightest action
don't make a move without phoning me
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to commit oneself to a position or course of action
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travelling from place to place
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advancing; succeeding
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very active; busy
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Synonym Usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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movesimple
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movessimple
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have movedperfect
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has movedperfect
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am movingprogressive
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are movingprogressive
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is movingprogressive
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have been movingperfect progressive
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has been movingperfect progressive
Past
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movedsimple
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had movedperfect
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was movingprogressive
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were movingprogressive
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had been movingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of move
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English meven, moven, from Anglo-French mover, ultimately from Latin movēre
Explanation
To move is to shift your position or change where you are. It can be a little spooky to hear a sleepwalker move around a dark house at night. You can move from one room to another, or move from Oregon to New Hampshire, changing the place where you live. Dancers move their bodies as they move around on a stage, and chess players move pieces strategically on the board. If someone inspires you to do something, or makes you feel an intense emotion, you can also say that they move you. When your dad says, "Get a move on!" he basically means "Hurry up!"
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
One of its first beneficiaries is Aran Inthakul, 71, a former car mechanic who struggles to move after a bad fall several years ago in front of his makeshift shack on the outskirts of Bangkok.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Since taking office, Warsh has vowed to reduce or eliminate the amount of forward guidance the Fed provides on its decision-making process, a move that has received mixed reactions.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Its gym has barely enough space for a class of children to move around.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Arsenal explore move for Vinicius Jr, Inter Milan interested in Cristian Romero and Real Madrid bid for Yan Diomande rejected, plus more.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Eventually she regained the use of her arms and legs enough to be able to move about with assistance, though her hands would never again hold her crochet hook or knitting needles.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
She has overseen a series of controversial moves, including shaking up the evening news and sacking several “60 Minutes” correspondents.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
As a galaxy moves away, its light is stretched toward redder wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
Discovery while a US lawsuit seeking to block the deal moves forward.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Nothing in his paintings moves us more than the absence of movement itself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Through most of his moves, Door had been one of the few constants in his life.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
Several artists, confused about the back-and-forth and wary of online vitriol, have reluctantly called off shows or moved them to other venues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
"I'm identifying people's needs, especially those of the children, and reminding them about the signs of dehydration," said Marie Decroix as she moved among the families, jotting down notes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
They asked women out, paid for dates and, in many cases, took the lead in deciding when the relationship moved forward.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Citywide, Inside Safe has moved more than 6,000 people into hotels, motels and other types of interim housing since Bass took office in December 2022.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
He huffed out a sigh and moved away from me, to the armchair.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Wallace wants to go to a four-year university and get a degree in engineering before moving on to a master’s program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Tokayev said the conflict should be "frozen" and suggested a return to Istanbul talks before moving "to a long-awaited peace."
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
These raised features appear while the rifts are still moving or soon after the movement stops.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
When executives relocate or are on assignment overseas, companies often shoulder much of the cost—housing subsidies, children’s tuition, moving costs and home-sale assistance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The line starts moving, so I put one foot in front of the other and walk, my black shoes following Avery’s red ones down the hallway and past the award plaques.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
