flywheel
noun
fly·wheel ˈflī-ˌ(h)wēl 
: a heavy wheel for opposing and moderating by its inertia any fluctuation of speed in the machinery with which it revolves
also : a similar wheel used for storing kinetic energy (as for motive power)
Did you know?
A heavy wheel attached to a rotating shaft, a flywheel smooths out delivery of power from a motor to a machine. The inertia of the flywheel moderates fluctuations in the speed of the engine and stores the excess energy for intermittent use. In automobile engines, the flywheel smooths out the pulses of energy provided by combustion in the cylinders, and provides energy for the compression stroke of the pistons. In power presses, the punching, shearing, and forming are done in a fraction of the operating cycle. During the rest of the cycle, the speed of the flywheel is built up by a comparatively low-powered motor, and most of the required energy for the cycle is provided by the flywheel.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Service offerings require continuous value creation and delivery to the customer, which requires a flywheel of innovation and development to continuously identify and solve customer pain points. 
Mark Schwartz, Forbes, 21 June 2022 This has been a lucrative and fast-growing flywheel for many years, extending into private banking and capital markets, helping its stock often sharply outperform banks overall. Telis Demos, WSJ, 20 Aug. 2022 All have position resistance adjustment, and those with a flywheel have an emergency brake. Maggie Slepian, Popular Mechanics, 4 Aug. 2022 Chen’s book and beyond that digital health platform leaders should keep in mind in their quest to overcome the cold start, achieve the flywheel, and deliver outsized returns: 1. Seth Joseph, Forbes, 11 July 2022 The standard methods of drawing leads into a company’s sales and marketing funnel (or onto its flywheel) work by attracting consumers and pushing them toward conversion. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2021 These factors create a flywheel for both the VC firm and the startup that accepts their capital. Suzanne Fletcher, Forbes, 21 June 2022 And as this flywheel keeps spinning, your employer brand could grow to become more attractive, and your recruitment game will get stronger. Nina Quist, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2021 That triggers a gold rush for other creators to participate in a conversation that appears to be dominating the app, creating a flywheel of more content. Chris Stokel-walker, Time, 29 Apr. 2022 See More
Mark Schwartz, Forbes, 21 June 2022 This has been a lucrative and fast-growing flywheel for many years, extending into private banking and capital markets, helping its stock often sharply outperform banks overall. Telis Demos, WSJ, 20 Aug. 2022 All have position resistance adjustment, and those with a flywheel have an emergency brake. Maggie Slepian, Popular Mechanics, 4 Aug. 2022 Chen’s book and beyond that digital health platform leaders should keep in mind in their quest to overcome the cold start, achieve the flywheel, and deliver outsized returns: 1. Seth Joseph, Forbes, 11 July 2022 The standard methods of drawing leads into a company’s sales and marketing funnel (or onto its flywheel) work by attracting consumers and pushing them toward conversion. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2021 These factors create a flywheel for both the VC firm and the startup that accepts their capital. Suzanne Fletcher, Forbes, 21 June 2022 And as this flywheel keeps spinning, your employer brand could grow to become more attractive, and your recruitment game will get stronger. Nina Quist, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2021 That triggers a gold rush for other creators to participate in a conversation that appears to be dominating the app, creating a flywheel of more content. Chris Stokel-walker, Time, 29 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1784, in the meaning defined above