movement

American  

[moov-muhnt] / ˈmuv mənt /

noun

movements plural

1. the act, process, or result of moving.

   Antonyms:

   stasis, inertia

2. a particular manner or style of moving.

3. Usually movements. actions or activities, as of a person or a body of persons.

4. Military, Naval. a change of position or location of troops or ships.

5. abundance of events or incidents.

   Synonyms:

   eventfulness

6. rapid progress of events.

7. the progress of events, as in a narrative or drama.

8. Fine Arts. the suggestion of motion in a work of art, either by represented gesture in figurative painting or sculpture or by the relationship of structural elements in a design or composition.

9. a progressive development of ideas toward a particular conclusion.

   the movement of his thought.

10. a series of actions or activities intended or tending toward a particular end.

    the movement toward universal suffrage.

11. the course, tendency, or trend of affairs in a particular field.

12. a diffusely organized or heterogeneous group of people or organizations tending toward or favoring a generalized common goal.

    the antislavery movement; the realistic movement in art.

13. the price change in the market of some commodity or security.

    an upward movement in the price of butter.

14. bowel movement.

15. the working parts or a distinct portion of the working parts of a mechanism, as of a watch.

16. Music.

    1. a principal division or section of a sonata, symphony, or the like.

    2. motion; rhythm; time; tempo.

17. Prosody. rhythmical structure or character.

---

movement British  

/ ˈmuːvmənt /

noun

1. 1. the act, process, or result of moving

   2. an instance of moving

2. the manner of moving

3. 1. a group of people with a common ideology, esp a political or religious one

   2. the organized action of such a group

4. a trend or tendency in a particular sphere

5. the driving and regulating mechanism of a watch or clock

6. (often plural) a person's location and activities during a specific time

7. 1. the evacuation of the bowels

   2. the matter evacuated

8. music a principal self-contained section of a symphony, sonata, etc, usually having its own structure

9. tempo or pace, as in music or literature

10. fine arts the appearance of motion in painting, sculpture, etc

11. prosody the rhythmic structure of verse

12. a positional change by one or a number of military units

13. a change in the market price of a security or commodity

---

movement Cultural  

1. In music, a self-contained division of a long work; each movement usually has its own tempo. A long, undivided composition is said to be in one movement.

---

Synonym Usage

See motion.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• countermovement
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• movements
  plural

Etymology

Origin of movement

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French; see move, -ment

Explanation

The noun movement means a change of position or location. If you're watching a play, you might notice that an actor's repeated movement from one side of the stage to the other shows her character's nervousness. A campaign to create some change or achieve a goal is another kind of movement, like the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. A major section of a musical piece is also called a movement. Each movement of a symphony can have a different tempo and feel, working to build the piece toward a dramatic finish. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony has four movements.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

movement movements

But no such revival was forthcoming: The conservative movement fragmented after Kirk’s death, divided by a host of wild conspiracy theories over the “real story” behind the killing.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026

India's "Cockroach" party movement vowed Tuesday to press ahead with their campaign until the education minister resigns, a day after at least 180 people were injured in protests in New Delhi.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Research has linked synchronized movement with social bonding and increased pain thresholds, while studies of dance and movement therapy have found benefits for depression, anxiety and interpersonal functioning.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

The movement is led by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old political communications strategist and former student at Boston University.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Taking the paper, she noted times, locations, and magnitudes of movement.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

The float is part of a global effort to solve one of the great mysteries of the ocean: how its hidden movements help shape the climate above.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Infections are rarely life-threatening but the symptoms of watery diarrhea and explosive bowel movements are certainly severe.

From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2026

"Population movements, persistent insecurity, and the fragility of the health system continue to complicate efforts to bring the outbreak under control," Anne Ancia, the WHO's representative in the DRC, said Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

“Instead of giving the suspect the pursuit he seemed to be looking for, officers used drone technology and coordinated tactics to safely monitor his movements into Cathedral City,” the department wrote on Facebook.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

The monster didn’t look up from its movements.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Related Words

• change
• crusade
• demonstration
• evolution
• faction
• flow
• group
• organization
• party
• shift
• tendency
• transfer
• trend
• unrest