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
In the same way a skilled mechanic can get every bit of horsepower out of Formula One car, a proper tuning can make all the difference in a ski race decided by hundredths of a second.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Next, there’s the AWD trim, which sports a second 215-hp motor at the front, resulting in a total output of 577 horsepower.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Horsepower increase The Next Gen car has run with 670-horsepower engines since its debut (except at superspeedways, where the engines have only 510 hp).
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
That was enough for 420 horsepower when the Countach left the factory, and likely makes around that much power today.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horsepower
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Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Next, there’s the AWD trim, which sports a second 215-hp motor at the front, resulting in a total output of 577 horsepower.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Horsepower increase The Next Gen car has run with 670-horsepower engines since its debut (except at superspeedways, where the engines have only 510 hp).
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
That was enough for 420 horsepower when the Countach left the factory, and likely makes around that much power today.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for horsepower
Cite this Entry
“Horsepower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horsepower. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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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