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.

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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

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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.

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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

Senate, governor and attorney general — suggest lots of room for movement in the less than 12 weeks remaining until Oct.

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

But a police crackdown on crowds marching towards parliament on July 20 backfired, galvanising support for the movement and transforming anger over exam leaks into a broader expression of youth frustration.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

That said, the Sturm Graz passing, movement and conviction was night and day.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

He highlighted strength across consumer payments, commercial and money movement solutions and value-added services.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

It turned away and began to slip down a different branch, but there was a decided lethargy in its movement, and I saw a bulge halfway along its body as its coils unfurled.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

This was 6.7% higher compared with the same period a year earlier excluding currency movements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Creativity helps form and inspire social movements, and Smith believed that art serves as spiritual and psychological nourishment for activists.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

Cooper said he concluded the men were armed after observing movements that differed from ordinary punching.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

Over time, this can cause loss of strength, increased scarring, fat buildup within muscle tissue, and a decline in fast twitch fibers, which support rapid and powerful movements.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

Their tiny hands were ticklish at first, but the movements were soothing, and gentler than I could ever have imagined.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Related Words

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