What is the scientific word for push or pull?

The scientific word for a push or pull is force. In physics, a force is an interaction that can change an object’s motion, direction, or shape.

Force is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. A shove to the right and a shove to the left may have the same strength but represent different forces because their directions differ. Multiple forces can combine into a net force that determines how an object accelerates.

Isaac Newton formalized the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration in his laws of motion. Newton’s second law is commonly written as F = ma: force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. The SI unit of force is the newton, named after Newton.

A force does not always make an object visibly move. Gravity pulls downward on a book resting on a table, while the table exerts an upward support force. Because those forces balance, the book remains at rest even though forces are acting on it.