Engineering English
Thrust
Aerospace Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The forward propulsive force produced by an engine or propeller as it accelerates a working fluid rearwards. It must equal drag in steady level flight and exceed it for acceleration or climb.
Example in context
“Each engine delivers about one hundred kilonewtons of thrust at sea level, which is enough to meet the certified climb requirement.”
“Her motor deniz seviyesinde yaklaşık yüz kilonewton itki üretir; bu, sertifikalı tırmanma şartını karşılamaya yeter.”
Where engineers use it
Thrust is quoted in engine selection, takeoff performance charts and one-engine-inoperative analyses. It determines acceleration, climb rate and ceiling, so an engineer needs it to match a powerplant to the airframe and to verify safety margins in failure cases.
Antonyms: Drag
Practice: can you use “Thrust” at work?
A student receives engine data and aircraft mass and must explain how available thrust changes with altitude and why this limits the service ceiling.
Show a model answer
“The engine must produce enough thrust to overcome drag during climb.”
“Thrust” in 21 languages
| English | Thrust |
|---|---|
| Turkish | İtki |
| French | Poussée |
| German | Schub |
| Spanish | Empuje |
| Chinese | 推力 |
| Arabic | قوة الدفع |
| Portuguese | Empuxo |
| Russian | Тяга |
| Japanese | 推力 |
| Italian | Spinta |
| Vietnamese | Lực đẩy |
| Hindi | प्रणोद |
| Thai | แรงขับ |
| Indonesian | Gaya dorong |
| Korean | 추력 |
| Bengali | ঠেলা বল |
| Dutch | Stuwkracht |
| Swedish | Dragkraft |
| Finnish | Työntövoima |
| Ukrainian | Тяга |
Frequently asked questions
What does Thrust mean in engineering?
The forward propulsive force produced by an engine or propeller as it accelerates a working fluid rearwards. It must equal drag in steady level flight and exceed it for acceleration or climb. In Aerospace Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Thrust?
Thrust is pronounced /θrʌst/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Thrust used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “Each engine delivers about one hundred kilonewtons of thrust at sea level, which is enough to meet the certified climb requirement.”
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