mass movement: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Academic/Technical
Quick answer
What does “mass movement” mean?
A large-scale, coordinated action or migration involving many people, typically aimed at achieving a social, political, or geological goal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large-scale, coordinated action or migration involving many people, typically aimed at achieving a social, political, or geological goal.
In sociology/politics: a collective, often grassroots, action for social change. In geology: the downslope movement of soil, rock, or debris under gravity (e.g., landslide).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. 'Mass movement' is standard in both varieties for both contexts.
Connotations
In socio-political contexts, it can carry neutral, positive (people power), or negative (mob rule) connotations depending on perspective. The geological term is purely descriptive.
Frequency
More frequent in academic and news discourse than in everyday conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “mass movement” in a Sentence
[mass movement] of [people/supporters/soil/rock][mass movement] for [change/justice/independence][mass movement] against [the government/corruption/authority]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mass movement” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The population mass-moved towards the cities. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- The protesters aimed to mass-mobilise. (rare, derivative)
adverb
British English
- The soil shifted mass-movement-wise. (highly contrived, unnatural)
American English
- The rock descended mass-movement-style. (highly contrived, unnatural)
adjective
British English
- The mass-movement potential of the slope was assessed.
American English
- A mass-movement event was recorded by sensors.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in 'a mass movement of consumer sentiment'.
Academic
Common in political science, sociology, and geology papers.
Everyday
Used in news discussions about protests or large natural disasters.
Technical
Precise term in geology/geomorphology for processes like creep, slump, flow.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mass movement”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mass movement”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mass movement”
- Using 'mass movement' to mean simply 'a lot of people moving' without a coordinated purpose (e.g., commuter traffic). Confusing the social and geological meanings.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It has a primary geological meaning referring to the downslope movement of earth materials like in a landslide or mudflow.
Yes. In socio-political contexts, it can be viewed negatively as a destabilizing 'mob', or positively as a legitimate 'people's movement'. Context determines connotation.
A protest is a specific event or action. A 'mass movement' is broader, often a sustained campaign comprising many actions, organizations, and a unifying ideology.
Countable. You can have 'a mass movement' or 'several mass movements'.
A large-scale, coordinated action or migration involving many people, typically aimed at achieving a social, political, or geological goal.
Mass movement is usually formal/academic/technical in register.
Mass movement: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmæs ˈmuːv.mənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmæs ˈmuːv.mənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A mass movement is afoot.”
- “The groundswell became a mass movement.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MASS of people MOVING together for a cause, or a MASS of earth MOVING down a hill.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL CHANGE IS PHYSICAL MOTION (The movement gained momentum); THE EARTH IS A FLUID (The slope experienced mass movement).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'mass movement' most likely refer to a landslide?