mass movement

American  

noun

1. an organized effort by a large number of people, especially those not forming part of the elite of a given society, to bring about pervasive changes in existing social, economic, or political institutions, frequently characterized by charismatic leadership.

---

Etymology

Origin of mass movement

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mass movement

It blamed human traffickers, and said they had strengthened, not eased, security measures in response to the mass movement of people toward the Ceuta border.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

So far, officials say there is no sign of mass movement toward Turkey linked to developments in Iran.

From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026

“We’ve seen how there is power with a mass movement of people. And so we’re hoping that the same thing can happen in this case.”

From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2025

That’s where you start to get into mass movement and mass liberation.

From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2025

But never before had nonviolence been employed for a mass movement.

From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson