# megawatt

/ˈmɛɡəˌwɑt/ (US) · /mˈɛɡəwˌɒt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/megawatt
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

a unit of power that equals one million watts. It is often used to measure how much electricity a large power plant produces.

For teachers: a unit of power equal to one million watts, typically used to quantify the output of power stations or the consumption of large industrial facilities.

## Examples

- The new wind farm produces one megawatt of power.
- The city's peak electricity demand reached several thousand megawatts during the record-breaking summer heatwave.
- Engineers calculated that the hydroelectric dam could generate over five hundred megawatts at full capacity, providing enough renewable energy to power the entire metropolitan region.

## Usage notes

- Often abbreviated as MW in technical and industrial contexts.

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