move
gb/mˈuv/ us/mˈuv/
A1
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A1
action
1
Change position or location
To go from one place to another, or to change position.
Usage pattern:
to move [someone/something] [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'move' with 'relocate' in formal contexts; 'move' is more general and common in everyday speech.
Synonyms
shift (Often used for small changes in position.)
Antonyms
stay (Means to remain in the same place.)
Collocations
move house
|move furniture
|move quickly
|move forward
|move slowly
Themes
daily life
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She moved the chair closer to the window.
- The train moves very fast along this route.
- I moved to a new city last year.
- He moved his hand away from the hot pan.
Learner examples
- I moved to London last year.
- Please move the table near the wall.
- The car moved slowly down the road.
- We moved from a small town to the city.
Verb
B1
action
2
Cause someone to feel emotion
To make someone feel strong emotions like sadness or sympathy.
Usage pattern:
to move [someone]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'move' in this sense with physical movement; context determines meaning.
Synonyms
touch (Softer, more personal emotional impact.)
Antonyms
bore (To cause no emotional interest or excitement.)
Collocations
deeply move
|emotionally move
|move to tears
Themes
emotions
|art
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her speech moved everyone in the audience.
- The movie was so beautiful it moved me to tears.
- He was deeply moved by their kindness.
Learner examples
- The story moved me a lot.
- Her song moved many people.
- I was moved by his words.
Verb
B1
action
3
Take action or proceed forward
To start doing something or make progress toward a goal.
Usage pattern:
to move [towards/forward with] [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'move on' with physically going somewhere; in this sense it refers to progress or change of focus.
Synonyms
proceed (More formal, often used in instructions or official contexts.)
Antonyms
stall (To stop making progress.)
Collocations
move forward
|move ahead
|move on with
Themes
business
|daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We need to move forward with the project.
- After the meeting, they decided to move ahead with the plan.
- It's time to move on from this topic.
Learner examples
- Let's move on to the next question.
- We can move forward with our plan.
- They moved ahead quickly.
Noun
A2
event
4
Act of changing position or location
When someone changes place or position.
Synonyms
shift (Often implies a small change in position or direction.)
Antonyms
standstill (A complete lack of movement.)
Collocations
make a move
|bold move
|next move
Themes
daily life
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her sudden move surprised everyone.
- It's your move in the game.
- Moving to New York was a big move for me.
Learner examples
- This is my first move to another country.
- It is your move in the game.
- He made a quick move.
Noun
B1
action
5
Action taken for strategic advantage
Something you do to get an advantage, often in a game or plan.
Synonyms
maneuver (Often used in military or strategic contexts.)
Antonyms
mistake (An action that leads to a disadvantage.)
Collocations
smart move
|risky move
|strategic move
Themes
games
|business
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Buying that company was a smart business move.
- His last move in chess won him the game.
- Quitting his job was a risky move.
Learner examples
- That was a smart move in the game.
- It was a bad move to be late.
- Her next move will surprise you.
Grammar
Dictionary form
move
IPA
GB/mˈuv/
US/mˈuv/
Syllables & stress
move (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (move)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: move
- Plural: moves
Verb
- Base: move
- 3rd Person Singular: moves
- Present Participle: moving
- Past: moved
Word family
Expressions
make a move
1/mˈeɪk ə mˈuv/
fixed phrase
Take action towards change or goal
To do something to change a situation or reach a goal.
Examples
- If you want that job, you should make a move soon.
- We need to make a move before it's too late.
move forward
1/mˈuv fˈɔɹwɚd/
phrasal verb
Continue making progress towards goal
To keep making progress toward something you want.
Examples
- The project is moving forward as planned.
- Despite difficulties, we must move forward.
move in
1/mˈuv ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Begin living in new residence
To start living in a new home or building.
Examples
- They are moving in next week.
- We moved in right after we got married.
move on
1/mˈuv ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
Stop focusing and start something else
To stop thinking about something and start doing or talking about something else.
Examples
- It's time to forget the past and move on.
- After discussing that point, let's move on to the next topic.
on the move
1/ˈɔn ðə mˈuv/
fixed phrase
Active, busy, or traveling often
Being very active, busy, or traveling from place to place.
Examples
- She's always on the move for work.
- With three kids, I'm constantly on the move.