dynamic
Americanadjective
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pertaining to or characterized by energy or effective action; vigorously active or forceful; energetic.
the dynamic president of the firm.
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Physics.
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of or relating to force or power.
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of or relating to force related to motion.
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pertaining to the science of dynamics.
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of or relating to the range of volume of musical sound.
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Digital Technology. (of data storage, processing, or programming) affected by the passage of time or the presence or absence of power.
Dynamic memory must be constantly refreshed to avoid losing data.
Dynamic websites contain web pages that are generated in real time.
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Grammar. nonstative.
noun
adjective
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of or concerned with energy or forces that produce motion, as opposed to static
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of or concerned with dynamics
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Also: dynamical. characterized by force of personality, ambition, energy, new ideas, etc
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music of, relating to, or indicating dynamics
dynamic marks
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computing (of a memory) needing its contents refreshed periodically Compare static
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Relating to energy or to objects in motion.
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Compare static
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Relating to the study of dynamics.
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Characterized by continuous change or activity.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dynamic
First recorded in 1810–20; from French dynamique, from Greek dynamikós, equivalent to dýnam(is) “force, power” + -ikos adjective suffix; see -ic
Explanation
If a person, place, or thing is energetic and active, then it's dynamic. When things are dynamic, there's a lot going on. Even the most exciting rural town won't be as dynamic as a big city: there are just more things happening in a city. Someone with a dynamic personality is probably funny, loud, and excitable; a quiet, mousy person isn't dynamic. You can also talk about the dynamic aspect of music, which has to do with how the music uses dynamics, which means "changes in volume." When things are dynamic, changes and energy are in the air.
Vocabulary lists containing dynamic
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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ACT Vocabulary List
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A Brief History of Time
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Can Cerebras carve out a piece of that dynamic market?
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
This dynamic is especially true for AI, since the AI buildout and integration of AI technology will have huge benefits for a few companies.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Politics, family, inflation, racism, weight gain and greed were among the multiple topics lampooned by Wanda Sykes during a dynamic and often wickedly funny tour stop at the Dolby Theatre last Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
“This dynamic also means we expect to see consumer sentiment continue to grind lower, as middle- and lower-income households bear the brunt of inflation’s impact on their household budgets.”
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
In the Jeffersonian version of the story, Adams and Jefferson fought shoulder-to-shoulder against the Tories, served together in Europe as a dynamic team, then returned to serve again in the new national government.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
