move

noun

The act of moving; a movement.

An act for the attainment of an object; a step in the execution of a plan or purpose.

A formalized or practiced action used in athletics, dance, physical exercise, self-defense, hand-to-hand combat, etc.

The event of changing one's residence.

A change in strategy.

A transfer, a change from one employer to another.

(board games) The act of moving a token on a gameboard from one position to another according to the rules of the game.

(board games, usually in the plural) A round, in which each player has a turn.

(syntax) Within the Minimalist Program, a fundamental operation of syntactic construction

verb

(intransitive) To change place or posture; to go, in any manner, from one place or position to another.

(intransitive) To act; to take action; to begin to act

(intransitive) To change residence, for example from one house, town, or state, to another; to go and live at another place. See also move out and move in.

(transitive, ergative) To cause to change place or posture in any manner; to set in motion; to carry, convey, draw, or push from one place to another

(transitive, chess, board games) To transfer (a piece) from one space or position on the board to another.

(transitive) To excite to action by the presentation of motives; to rouse by representation, persuasion, or appeal; to influence.

(transitive) To arouse the feelings or passions of; especially, to excite to tenderness or compassion, to excite (for example, an emotion).

(transitive, intransitive) To propose; to recommend; specifically, to propose formally for consideration and determination, in a deliberative assembly; to submit

(law, transitive, intransitive) To request an action from the court.

(transitive, business) To sell or market (especially physical inventory or illicit drugs).

(transitive, programming) To transfer the value of one object in memory to another efficiently (i.e., without copying it in entirety).

(transitive, obsolete) To mention; to raise (a question); to suggest (a course of action); to lodge (a complaint).

(transitive, obsolete) To incite, urge (someone to do something); to solicit (someone for or of an issue); to make a proposal to.

(transitive, obsolete) To apply to, as for aid.

(intransitive, obsolete) To bow or salute upon meeting.

Roots

moveomov- · Latin · move, mover

Synonyms for move

relocationn movementn motionn displacev relocatev gov proceedv propelv actuatev shiftn countermoven pushv traveln budgev transfern stepn striken actn rotatev motivatev

Synonyms & related words for move

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of move — including relocation, movement, motion, displace, relocate, go. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to move

Explore words related to move — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include movably, mover, movables, migrate, brachiating, transmigrated, reposition, circumnutate. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for move

Common synonyms for move include relocation, movement, motion, displace, relocate, go, proceed, propel — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does move come from?

The word move breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root mov-, from Latin moveo (“move, mover”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.