1
: one that imparts motion
specifically
: prime mover
2
: any of various power units that develop energy or impart motion: such as
a
: a small compact engine
b
: internal combustion engine
especially
: a gasoline engine
c
: a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy
3
: motor vehicle
especially
: automobile
1
a
: causing or imparting motion
b
: of, relating to, or being a motor neuron or a nerve containing motor neurons
motor fiber
c
: of, relating to, concerned with, or involving muscular movement
motor areas of the brain
2
a
: equipped with or driven by a motor
b
: of, relating to, or involving an automobile
c
: designed for motor vehicles or motorists
motored; motoring; motors
1
: to travel by automobile : drive
2
: to move or proceed at a vigorous steady pace
motored down the field for a touchdown
: to transport by automobile
Synonyms
Noun
Verb
- barrel
- belt
- blast
- blaze
- blow
- bolt
- bomb [slang]
- bowl
- breeze
- bundle
- bustle
- buzz
- cannonball
- careen
- career
- chase
- course
- crack (on)
- dash
- drive
- fly
- hare
- hasten
- hie
- highball
- hotfoot (it)
- hump
- hurl
- hurry
- hurtle
- hustle
- jet
- jump
- nip
- pelt
- race
- ram
- rip
- rocket
- run
- rush
- rustle
- scoot
- scurry
- scuttle
- shoot
- speed
- step
- tear
- travel
- trot
- whirl
- whisk
- zip
- zoom
Examples of motor in a Sentence
Noun
the device was equipped with a small electrical motor to make the gears spin
went shopping for a new automobile at Valley Motors
Adjective
motor areas of the brain
Verb
We spent the afternoon motoring through the countryside.
The car motored slowly up the hill.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Two electric motors, one on each axle, generate 241 horsepower (180 kW) to power the all-wheel drive vehicle.
—New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2024
Patti Greco, Health, 14 Apr. 2023
Under braking, the e-axle and rear e-motor contribute to the stopping process, allowing the friction brakes to recharge the battery more effectively.
—WIRED, 29 Mar. 2023
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Dec. 2024
The excavator motored toward a growing pile—the wall-to-be, which followed a plan laid out in software—and an algorithm predicted how the new stone would settle onto the others.
—James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for motor 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The small black bars in the other two panels are CO2 emissions from burning off gas (flaring) at wellheads, drilling and fracking motors, or trucks and other transport engines.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Two electric motors, one on each axle, generate 241 horsepower (180 kW) to power the all-wheel drive vehicle.
—New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Pre-Motor Stage Parkinson's disease may begin decades before a person notices a single motor symptom.
—Patti Greco, Health, 14 Apr. 2023
Under braking, the e-axle and rear e-motor contribute to the stopping process, allowing the friction brakes to recharge the battery more effectively.
—WIRED, 29 Mar. 2023
Verb
One result of those slack prices is that U.S. average pump prices for gasoline fell to $3.03 a gallon this week, the lowest since May 2021 and well down from their record peak of $5.02 in June 2022, according to motoring club AAA.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Dec. 2024
The excavator motored toward a growing pile—the wall-to-be, which followed a plan laid out in software—and an algorithm predicted how the new stone would settle onto the others.
—James Somers, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for motor
Dictionary Entries Near motor
Cite this Entry
“Motor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motor. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motor
1 of 3 noun
mo·tor
ˈmōt-ər 
1
: a machine that produces motion or power for doing work
a gasoline motor
electric motors
2
: motor vehicle
especially
: automobile entry 2
motor
2 of 3 adjective1
: causing or giving motion
motor power
2
a
: of, relating to, or being a nerve, neuron, or nerve fiber that carries a nerve impulse to a muscle causing movement
motor nerves
b
: concerned with or involving muscular movement
motor areas of the brain
a motor reaction
3
a
: equipped with or driven by a motor
b
: of, relating to, or designed for use in an automobile
a motor accident
a motor mechanic
motor
3 of 3 verb
: to travel or transport by automobile : drive
Medical Definition
motor
adjective
mo·tor
ˈmōt-ər
1
: causing or imparting motion
2
: of, relating to, or being a motor neuron or a nerve containing motor neurons
motor fibers
motor cells
3
: of, relating to, concerned with, or involving muscular movement
motor areas of the brain
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