---
title: "Momentum (context momentum) · Agentic Atlas"
description: "Momentum (context momentum): the propensity to continue the resident trajectory: the window steers generation, not just informs it."
canonical: "https://agentic-atlas.dev/glossary/momentum-context-momentum"
last-updated: "2026-08-19"
---

Glossary definition

# Momentum (context momentum)

Atlas key

momentum-context-momentum

Catalog order

22

Used in

1 section

Catalog revision · 35263c4c415da742953d0462804fb14424e2244dae4c63efd27e468988de70ab

the propensity to continue the resident trajectory: the window *steers* generation, not just informs it. Sign-neutral — the same force behind in-context learning (pointed well) and doom loops (pointed wrong); distinct from *friction* (conflicting content, always negative). Fresh dispatch = zero momentum — which is also the identity test: steering that survives a reset is the model's prior, not momentum. ([momentum](https://agentic-atlas.dev/nodes/momentum))

[Browse the complete glossary](https://agentic-atlas.dev/glossary)

## Used in

- [Same Shards, Fresh Window](https://agentic-atlas.dev/nodes/same-shards-fresh-window#context) Context · 1 mention