juggernaut

noun

jug·​ger·​naut ˈjə-gər-ˌnȯt 

-ˌnät

1

: a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path

an advertising juggernaut

a political juggernaut

2

chiefly British : a large heavy truck

Did you know?

The History of Juggernaut

In the early 14th century, Franciscan missionary Friar Odoric brought to Europe the story of an enormous carriage that carried an image of the Hindu god Vishnu (whose title was Jagannath, literally, "lord of the world") through the streets of India in religious processions. Odoric reported that some worshippers deliberately allowed themselves to be crushed beneath the vehicle's wheels as a sacrifice to Vishnu. That story was likely an exaggeration or misinterpretation of actual events, but it spread throughout Europe. The tale caught the imagination of English listeners, and they began using juggernaut to refer to any massive vehicle (such as a steam locomotive) and to any other enormous entity with powerful crushing capabilities.

Synonyms

• bandwagon
• blitz
• campaign
• cause
• crusade
• drive
• movement
• push

Examples of juggernaut in a Sentence

there was no escaping the juggernaut of hype for the studio's biggest summer blockbuster

Recent Examples on the Web

Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes will face coach Dawn Staley’s undefeated juggernaut South Carolina Gamecocks for the women’s crown on Sunday. —Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024

On Thursday, the Chinese juggernaut launched its first electric vehicle, the SU7 sedan. —Steve Mollman, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2024

In South Asia, India is a fintech juggernaut, while Pakistan has also been an increasing area of focus for forward-looking investors. —Zennon Kapron, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Airbnb, a juggernaut in the short-term rental business, released a new report this week about the number of people seeking lodging ahead of the solar eclipse. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024

Afrobeats has become a global juggernaut over the last few years, with artists like Rema and Burna Boy breaking the barriers to mainstream success. —Thania Garcia, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024

Consumers would win if a new juggernaut competed with Visa and Mastercard, which now control 70 percent of the credit-card market. —John Berlau, National Review, 19 Mar. 2024

Meanwhile, British heavy metal juggernauts Judas Priest nab a new chart best with Invincible Shield (Columbia), their 19th studio album. —Lars Brandle, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024

Unleashing a shrewd plan to counter an offensive juggernaut, the Trojans forced steals and grabbed offensive rebounds, irritating the Wildcats and their restless fans. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Hindi Jagannāth, literally, lord of the world, title of Vishnu

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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