jostle
verb
jos·tle
| \ ˈjä-səl
\
\
jostled;
jostling\ ˈjā-s(ə-)liŋ
\
\
Definition of jostle
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: to come in contact or into collision
a jostling crowd
b
: to make one's way by pushing and shoving
people jostling toward the exit
c
: to exist in close proximity
2
: to vie in gaining an objective : contend
tribes began to jostle with one another for room— Daniel Defoe
1a
: to come in contact or into collision with
being jostled by the crowd
b
: to force by pushing : elbow
jostled his way through the crowd
c
: to stir up : agitate
thunder jostled us awake
d
: to exist in close proximity with
Europe, where a number of languages jostle each other— D. G. Mandelbaum
2
: to vie with in attaining an objective
an enormous industry in which a great many companies and interests jostle each other fiercely — Washington Post
jostle
nounDefinition of jostle (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: the experience of being pushed or jostled (see jostle entry 1)
might glide through … life among them without a jostle— Thomas Jefferson
2
: the state of being crowded or pushed together : the state of being jostled
the state fair is deliberately about the crowds and jostle, the noise and overload of sight and event— David Foster Wallace
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Synonyms for jostle
Synonyms: Verb
bore, bull, bulldoze, crash, elbow, jam, muscle, press, push, shoulder, squeeze
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Examples of jostle in a Sentence
Verb
Everyone in the crowd was jostling each other trying to get a better view. everyone glared at the man who jostled to the front of the lineRecent Examples on the Web: Verb
As Britain prepares to leave the EU, companies are jostling to ensure that business is not disrupted. — Fortune, "Tiny Luxembourg Is Having a Big Brexit Moment," 10 Aug. 2019 Never Trumpers and consultants and left-wing billionaires will be jostling with Libertarian-party leaders for meetings with him — all convinced that his candidacy could drain enough votes to sink Trump’s reelection. — John Fund, National Review, "Could Justin Amash Cost Trump Reelection?," 7 July 2019 Candidates for the Fed are jostling with candidates for open-ended judicial appointments, which the Republicans who control the Senate will want to confirm quickly. — The Economist, "President Donald Trump is trying to fill two jobs at the Fed," 4 July 2019 The handshake and Trump's visit to the DMZ unfolded in chaotic fashion under overcast skies as even White House officials accompanying the president were unsure what would happen next and journalists jostled to capture the historic encounter. — NBC News, "Trump meets Kim Jong Un, becomes first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korea," 30 June 2019 Naturally, this has led to a transfer frenzy across Europe, with no less than eight top sides jostling for his signature. — SI.com, "Report: Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid Eye Highly Rated Kai Havertz," 23 Aug. 2019 Others described a Lord of the Flies-esque scene of climbers jostling for position, stepping around dead bodies and desperately taking selfies at the top. — Megan Gambino, Smithsonian, "New Rules Could Determine Who Gets to Climb Everest," 16 Aug. 2019 But the favorites among those jostling to replace Mrs. May as prime minister are talking up an abrupt exit after almost three years of inconclusive Brexit wrangling. ... — Jason Douglas, WSJ, "‘No Deal’ Brexit Returns to Forefront of Debate," 28 May 2019 Meanwhile, Harris and Biden could face attacks on their own records from the eight other candidates lined up on stage, all jostling for attention during one of their last chances for a breakout moment. — Casey Tolan, The Mercury News, "Democratic debate preview: What to watch for as Harris, Biden get rematch," 31 July 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Density waves, caused by the motion of shepherd moons within the rings, jostle and reshape the rings. — Vahe Peroomian, The Conversation, "A brief astronomical history of Saturn’s amazing rings," 14 Aug. 2019 Push-carts loaded with sacks of grain bump and jostle through the hubbub. — The Economist, "How do you reform a country where gunmen torch Ebola clinics?," 2 Aug. 2019 Bahand’s appointment comes at a crucial time in ties between Moscow and Kabul, as the Kremlin jostles for a new era of influence in the country. — Washington Post, "This Afghan ambassador in Moscow mixes diplomacy and Dostoevsky," 20 July 2019 The deal is a setback for Sherwin-Williams as a few big U.S. paint makers buy up small rivals and jostle for market share. — Austen Hufford, WSJ, "Berkshire Hathaway’s Benjamin Moore to Become Main Paint Supplier for Ace Hardware," 10 July 2019 Both teams rushed out on the field, but there were no punches thrown; there were a few solid shoves, many light jostles and several pairs of teammates restraining each other. — Emma Baccellieri, SI.com, "'What Are You Looking At?': The Question That Started the Pirates-Braves Basebrawl," 10 June 2019 This allowed the jostle of distinctive forms, rather than a monolithic mass. — John King, SFChronicle.com, "Well-crafted Jackson Square condos rich in design inspiration," 2 July 2018 In the engrossing West Cork, about the 1996 murder in Ireland of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier, four accents in English jostle for dominance—and, with them, worldviews. — Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, "Seduce Me! The Untainted Sweet Sounds of Accent-Riddled Podcasts," 1 June 2018 Bright blue banners for al-Sadr's election alliance jostle for space along streets lined with martyr posters and images of al-Sadr and his father. — Susannah George, Fox News, "Iraqi Shiite cleric gained ground with nationalist voice," 14 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jostle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for jostle
jostle
verb
English Language Learners Definition of jostle
: to push against (someone) while moving forward in a crowd of people
See the full definition for jostle in the English Language Learners Dictionary
jostle
verb
jos·tle
| \ ˈjä-səl
\
\
jostled;
jostling
Kids Definition of jostle
: to push roughly
… people were … jostling and trying to get a bit closer to the famous girl.— Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory