# momentum

/moʊˈmɛntəm/ (US) · /məʊmˈɛntəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/momentum
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. physical motion

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the force that a moving object has because of its weight and speed.

For teachers: the product of the mass and velocity of an object. Uncountable in its general physical sense; countable when referring to specific vectors.

- The heavy sled gained momentum as it slid down the snowy hill.
- In classical mechanics, the total momentum of a closed system remains constant unless acted upon by an external force.

### 2. progress of an activity

noun · CEFR B2

the way a project or idea keeps growing and moving forward faster.

For teachers: the impetus or driving force gained by a course of events or a social movement.

- The political campaign gathered momentum after the candidate won the first debate.
- The reform movement lost momentum following the sudden resignation of its most charismatic and influential leader.

### 3. market trends

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the speed at which the price of a stock or asset is changing.

For teachers: the rate of acceleration of an asset's price or volume, often used as an indicator in technical analysis.

- Investors are looking for stocks with strong upward momentum this quarter.
- Momentum traders often enter positions when they identify a clear trend, hoping to capitalise on the continued movement of the asset's price.

## Examples

- The campaign is gaining momentum as more people join.
- The startup gained significant momentum after securing a second round of funding from major investors.
- While the initial policy shift was met with skepticism, it eventually gathered enough political momentum to pass through the legislature without further amendments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.