1
a(1)
: the act or process of moving
especially
: change of place or position or posture
studying the movement of planets
(2)
: a particular instance or manner of moving
hand/eye/muscle movements
was entranced by the dancer's graceful movements
b(1)
: a tactical or strategic shifting of a military unit : maneuver
(2)
: the advance of a military unit
the steady movement of troops across the border
2
b(1)
: a series of organized activities working toward an objective
also
: an organized effort to promote or attain an end
the civil rights movement
a movement to increase the minimum wage
(2)
: the people involved in such an effort
joined the movement
c
: a noticeable change in a situation
There has been no movement in the negotiations.
3
: the moving parts of a mechanism that transmit a definite motion
4
a
b
: the rhythmic character or quality of a musical composition
a dance movement
c
: a distinct structural unit or division having its own key, rhythmic structure, and themes and forming part of an extended musical composition
The symphony consisted of three movements.
d
: particular rhythmic flow of language : cadence
a poem's movement
5
a
: the quality (as in a painting or sculpture) of representing or suggesting motion
b
: the vibrant quality in literature that comes from elements that constantly hold a reader's interest (such as a quickly moving action-filled plot)
6
a
: an act of voiding (see void entry 3 sense 2a) the bowels : bowel movement sense 3a
b
: matter expelled from the bowels at one passage : stool sense 3a
Cite this Entry
“Movement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movement. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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