move 1 of 2

verb

ˈmüv How to pronounce move (audio)
Definition of movenext
1
as in to relocate
to change the place or position of I need you to move all your books off that chair before company gets here

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to drive
to set or keep in motion the hands of the wall clock are moved by battery

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to shift
to change one's position don't move while I'm trying to draw your portrait

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to affect
to act upon (a person or a person's feelings) so as to cause a response we were deeply moved by the program of patriotic music

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to encourage
to rouse to strong feeling or action the heartfelt appeal moved the people to reach into their pockets and donate generously

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to persuade
to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest requests the report moved me to change my mind about the issue

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to activate
to cause to function this one button moves the whole machine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in to exit
to leave a place often for another the police officer told the loiterers to move along

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

move

2 of 2

noun

1
as in means
an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result retiring early was a smart move

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position don't make a move

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
One man is the center of gravity for the biggest market-moving stories of the day - Elon Musk. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026 Fisher lived in a charming Spanish-style estate high up in the Hollywood Hills, and her mom, at Fisher’s behest, moved into the neighboring cottage. — Michael Gioia, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
However, Walter and TWG Global—Walter’s holding company—posit the move was unrelated to the investigation completely. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026 That move will likely result in higher prescription costs and increase premiums for about half of recipients, an administration official told ABC News. — ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for move
Recent Examples of Synonyms for move
  1. relocate
  2. drive
  3. shift
  4. affect
  5. encourage
  6. persuade
  7. activate
  8. exit
Verb
  • In the 1960s, archaeologists carried out a massive project to dismantle and relocate the temple, moving it out of the path of rising waters created by the Aswan High Dam.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Somewhere down the line, Sheridan relocated and retitled the show.
    — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of relocate
Verb
  • Zuckerberg and Wang want Muse Wonder and the more powerful Muse Wonder Full to drive Muse, Meta’s personal AI agent, which can act on people’s behalf.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • To help banish the endless procrastination, National Geographic’s 2027 list of 25 must-visit destinations for the year ahead is one of its most timely and experience-driven recommendations yet.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of drive
Verb
  • Election forecaster Cook Political Report shifted Ohio’s gubernatorial race toward Democratic candidate Amy Acton on Friday after a week of backlash over an ad Republican Vivek Ramaswamy ran featuring her estranged mother.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Miller points out that the numbers are extremely volatile, and could shift big time by election day.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of shift
Verb
  • Smiling can affect brain chemicals that are associated with positive feelings including endorphins, dopamine and serotonin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that spur changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of affect
Verb
  • Palestine Action founder Huda Ammori encouraged joining offshoot groups to circumvent the ban, the Telegraph reported.
    — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Meta encourages its users to name their AIs—and encourages its AIs to think like humans.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourage
Verb
  • The university admissions replacement system still has to be designed, and legal changes may be needed — leaving crucial decisions unresolved even as the government seeks to persuade students to end their protests.
    — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The challenge was not simply to persuade undecided voters, but to get those who already preferred him to show up at the polls.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of persuade
Verb
  • Two letters redirect actions MuTRAP is a backdoor attack, also known as a Trojan attack, in which malicious behavior is embedded in a model and activated only when a specific trigger appears.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Ukraine received no warning from its partners ahead of the first wave of attacks, and information about a second wave arrived too late for air raid sirens to be activated in time, air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat said on national television.
    — SAMYA KULLAB, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of activate
Verb
  • Understanding the financial consequences to both the business and the other marital assets—such as exiting a legal agreement or selling property—is time well spent before the terms of a divorce are accepted.
    — Catherine Shanahan, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After the couple exited the hotel and were detained, officers executed a search warrant on their hotel room, recovering a firearm and supporting evidence consistent with the crime scene, police said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of exit

Phrases Containing move

Browse Nearby Words

movables
move
moved
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Cite this Entry

“Move.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/move. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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