Definition of movenext
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move

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb move differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of move are actuate, drive, and impel. While all these words mean "to set or keep in motion," move is very general and implies no more than the fact of changing position.

moved the furniture

In what contexts can actuate take the place of move?

The words actuate and move can be used in similar contexts, but actuate stresses transmission of power so as to work or set in motion.

turbines actuated by waterpower

When might drive be a better fit than move?

While in some cases nearly identical to move, drive implies imparting forward and continuous motion and often stresses the effect rather than the impetus.

a ship driven aground by hurricane winds

Where would impel be a reasonable alternative to move?

The synonyms impel and move are sometimes interchangeable, but impel is usually figurative and suggests a great motivating impetus.

a candidate impelled by ambition

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of move
Verb
The project has since reached a locked edit and is moving through sound, music and VFX, with completion expected by the end of October. Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 Platforms can stay operational for decades, while the commercial electronics industry moves through multiple generations of components. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
The move comes after six months of a war launched by the US and Israel that has since reached a stalemate amid a lack of diplomatic resolution. Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 Robot navigation is more complicated than simply making a machine move. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for move
Recent Examples of Synonyms for move
Verb
  • Food spoiled during the outage, and the family temporarily relocated to Lucky’s mother’s home.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In response to a successful challenge, library staff have to relocate the material to an area inaccessible to minors, the law says.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • As such, this is meant to be a workhorse that's also enjoyable to drive.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The song has a driving bass line and would be interesting to perform with a live band.
    Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But Boone removed him from the lineup before the top of the fourth, shifting José Caballero to shortstop and bringing in Amed Rosario to play third base.
    Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Monthly sales at Poppy Rose have climbed from roughly $30,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars since the business shifted from Etsy to TikTok Shop and adopted print-on-demand.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The instruments can move with greater flexibility than the human hand, while the system filters out natural hand tremors that could affect delicate movements.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The gesture continues a pattern for Swift, who has a long history of quietly funding GoFundMe campaigns for fans and strangers facing medical emergencies, including past donations to families affected by natural disasters and accidents.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Producer and 10 Lives founder and CEO Daniel Catullo set the stage for such a party by introducing the film and encouraging audience members to get out of their seats during the showing and record clips of the doc.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • So his church—which has raised many millions of dollars for good causes, and operates a local food pantry and food truck—decided to distribute lawn signs simply encouraging people to be kind.
    Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Reacher and Green run into a hotel and persuade the staff to lock the doors, claiming there’s an active shooter outside.
    Chris Klimek, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In March, one of DraftKings’ cofounders, Matthew Kalish, stepped down as president—but not before persuading the board to approve a series of potentially lucrative deals to benefit his new marketing company.
    Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Several other brands have activated during high-stakes competitions and inked their own collaborations that tap into the convergence of beauty and sports this year.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Ars Video When activated, Motion Assist adds small dots around the edges of your phone screen over top of the content.
    Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After exiting brick-and-mortar retail at Ulta seven years ago, Laura Geller is doubling back — and this time, wants to do it right.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Drivers headed east can exit at Northwest 17th Avenue, continue south across Northwest Seventh Street and turn left at Southwest First Street.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Move.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/move. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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