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momentum

noun
mo·​men·​tum | \ mƍ-ˈmen-təm How to pronounce momentum (audio) , mə-\
plural momenta\ mƍ-​ˈmen-​tə How to pronounce momenta (audio) , mə-​ \ or momentums

Definition of momentum

1 : a property (see property sense 1a) of a moving body that the body has by virtue of its mass (see mass entry 2 sense 1c) and motion and that is equal to the product of the body's mass and velocity broadly : a property of a moving body that determines the length of time required to bring it to rest when under the action of a constant force or moment
2 : strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events The wagon gained momentum as it rolled down the hill.
Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about momentum

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Examples of momentum in a Sentence

The company has had a successful year and hopes to maintain its momentum by introducing new products. The movie loses momentum toward the end.

Recent Examples on the Web

 To see Josiah Deguara run 60 or so yards, never give up, get a guy down and give us the opportunity to not lose complete momentum of the entire game. — Fletcher Page, Cincinnati.com, "UC football: What we learned in Bearcats' 24-14 win against UCLA," 30 Aug. 2019 That prospect would leave Salvini out of power for years, potentially diminishing the momentum of a politician who had remade Italian politics in his image and become the face of the far right in Western Europe. — Washington Post, "Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte wins backing to form a new government — this time, without the far right," 30 Aug. 2019 Meanwhile, people imagine themselves as objects helpless against the momentum of history. — Sophie Pinkham, The New Republic, "Vasily Grossman’s Lost Epic," 27 Aug. 2019 In the same way, the momentum of a dancer’s body can control the spin of the pole. — Carly Breit, PEOPLE.com, "We Tried It: A Class with Jennifer Lopez's Pole Dancing Trainer," 26 Aug. 2019 The momentum of a 10-win season carried to the Gators to their first top-10 preseason ranking since 2010. — Matt Murschel, orlandosentinel.com, "Gators’ weaknesses highlighted while Hurricanes’ potential shines during frustrating loss," 25 Aug. 2019 The momentum of the game could’ve have changed dramatically, however, if Dom Dwyer’s goal in the fourth minute had not been called back for offsides. — Julia Poe, Pro Soccer USA, "Orlando City chases elusive win over rival Atlanta United," 23 Aug. 2019 Indeed, the Navarro brand of protectionism has already had a number of damaging economic consequences, blunted for now only by the momentum of the economic boom Trump inherited. — Barry Ritholtz, Twin Cities, "Barry Ritholtz: The #TrumpRecession label is going to stick," 20 Aug. 2019 Perhaps even more important is what the study reveals about what’s responsible for fueling the momentum of false news stories. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "Social media depends on engaging content. Conspiracy theories are engaging. This problem isn’t going away.," 13 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'momentum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of momentum

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for momentum

New Latin, from Latin, movement

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More Definitions for momentum

momentum

noun
How to pronounce momentum (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of momentum

: the strength or force that something has when it is moving
: the strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes
physics : the property that a moving object has due to its mass and its motion

See the full definition for momentum in the English Language Learners Dictionary

momentum

noun
mo·​men·​tum | \ mƍ-ˈmen-təm How to pronounce momentum (audio) \

Kids Definition of momentum

: the force that a moving body has because of its weight and motion

momentum

noun
mo·​men·​tum | \ mƍ-ˈment-əm, mə-ˈment- How to pronounce momentum (audio) \
plural momenta\ -​ˈment-​ə How to pronounce momenta (audio) \ or momentums

Medical Definition of momentum

: a property of a moving body that the body has by virtue of its mass and motion and that is equal to the product of the body's mass and velocity broadly : a property of a moving body that determines the length of time required to bring it to rest when under the action of a constant force

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More from Merriam-Webster on momentum

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with momentum

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for momentum

Spanish Central: Translation of momentum

Nglish: Translation of momentum for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of momentum for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about momentum

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