horsepower
noun
horse·pow·er
ˈhȯrs-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 
1
: the power that a horse exerts in pulling
2
: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equivalent to the English gravitational unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second
3
: effective power
intellectual horsepower
computing horsepower
Examples of horsepower in a Sentence
an engine with 200 horsepower
that architectural firm probably doesn't have the creative horsepower to produce a truly innovative design
Recent Examples on the Web
When combined with three electric motors, the total output rises to about 1,016 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.
—
Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
That car makes 707 metric horsepower, as its name suggests.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 13 Jan. 2026
But in the meantime, schools and conferences will continue to fortify the language in revenue-sharing contracts, and athletes with the most leverage — or legal horsepower — will continue to test those limits.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The Wagoneer produces more horsepower than the base model Sequoia and arguably has a more refined cabin and stronger value proposition than Toyota's full-size SUV.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Horsepower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horsepower. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
Kids Definition
horsepower
noun
horse·pow·er
ˈhȯr-ˌspau̇(-ə)r
: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equal to the English unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second
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