From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmomentummo‧men‧tum /məʊˈmentəm, mə- $ moʊ-, mə-/ ●○○ noun [uncountable] 1 FAST/QUICKINCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNTthe ability to keep increasing, developing, or being more successfulgain/gather momentum The campaign for reform should start to gather momentum in the new year. incentives to maintain the momentum of European integration Governments often lose momentum in their second term of office.momentum of the momentum of increasing immigrationmomentum towards the momentum towards economic union2 FAST/QUICKthe force that makes a moving object keep movinggain/gather momentum (=move faster) The wheel was allowed to roll down the slope, gathering momentum as it went. Pratt, without losing any momentum at all, passed them both and won the race.3 technicalHPTEM the force or power that is contained in a moving object and is calculated by multiplying its weight by its speedmomentum of the momentum of a particleCOLLOCATIONSverbsgain/gather/build up momentum (=become more and more successful)The show gathered momentum over the next few months and became a huge hit.give something momentum (=make something become more successful)The agreement was small, but it gave new momentum to the talks.maintain momentum (=make something continue at the same pace)The party was determined to maintain the momentum of reform.lose momentum (=to start to become less successful)The team seems to have lost its momentum.keep the momentum going (also sustain the momentum formal) (=keep being successful)Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and win the next game as well.adjectivesirresistible (=that cannot be stopped)The social changes began to gather irresistible momentum.
Examples from the Corpus
momentum• We are trying to measure the position and momentum of an electron as accurately as possible.• It closes very rapidly and has considerable momentum.• On the Look-Out derives extra momentum from this eccentric procedure.• While critics of his decision gained momentum Thursday, the record shows they face an uphill battle.• As the slope got steeper, the sled gathered momentum.• The ball was moving along, slowly losing momentum on the bumpy ground.• Gonzalez insisted that fears of lost momentum should not be a concern.• Raymond is traveling full speed downhill on his own momentum.• The attacker's own momentum pushes him forward on to the blow.• Missile defence has a political momentum that makes a supposedly awkward question such as whether it really works pale almost into irrelevance.• Players skate around the ice with realistic momentum, ie you have to slow down to turn round.• Carey's momentum carried him past the base.gain/gather momentum• How did the escaping gas gain momentum?• It's a subject that has gained momentum across the country in recent years.• That idea, once dismissed as nonsense, keeps gaining momentum.• Biological and entomological studies gained momentum through the photographic record.• Clay Shaw of Florida, has failed to gain momentum, and time is running out.• I waited for it to gather momentum.• Gradually the train gathered momentum, and within seconds it was moving at top speed.• The slope was getting steeper and their sledge was gaining momentum all the time.gain/gather momentum• How did the escaping gas gain momentum?• It's a subject that has gained momentum across the country in recent years.• That idea, once dismissed as nonsense, keeps gaining momentum.• Biological and entomological studies gained momentum through the photographic record.• Clay Shaw of Florida, has failed to gain momentum, and time is running out.• I waited for it to gather momentum.From Longman Business Dictionarymomentummo‧men‧tum /məʊˈmentəm, mə-moʊ-, mə-/ noun [uncountable] the ability to keep increasing, developing, or being more successfulA movement to remove government restrictions on business operations gained momentum.Economists warned the economy was losing momentum rapidly and that growth could slip as low as 1.5% next year.Origin momentum (1600-1700) Latin “movement, moment”, from movere “to move” 