jawbone

1 of 2

noun

jaw·​bone ˈjȯ-ˌbōn How to pronounce jawbone (audio)
: jaw sense 1a
especially : mandible

jawbone

2 of 2

verb

jawboned; jawboning; jawbones

transitive verb

: to speak forcefully and persuasively to
jawboned them into accepting the deal

intransitive verb

: to talk especially forcefully and persuasively
jawboning about the tax cuts

Examples of jawbone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
While some surgeons routinely suction the jowls when contouring the jawline, others avoid them, staying below the jawbone and giving a wide berth to the delicate nerve. Jolene Edgar, Allure, 20 Nov. 2024 By Ashley Mateo October 30, 2024 7:07 AM EDT Open-ear headphones tend to dangle over the ear, blasting sound at the ear canal or conducting it through the jawbone. Ashley Mateo, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
University leaders in Wisconsin, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas have capitulated to jawboning efforts, shuttering DEI offices and LGBTQ studies programs when they are not required by law to do so. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024 Since at least the 1990s, the conventional wisdom among presidents and their close advisers has been that jawboning the Fed is counterproductive. Neil Irwin, Axios, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jawbone 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1965, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of jawbone was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near jawbone

Cite this Entry

“Jawbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jawbone. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

jawbone

noun
jaw·​bone
ˈjȯ-ˈbōn,
-ˌbōn
: one of the bones of an animal's jaw
especially : mandible sense 1a

Medical Definition

jawbone

noun
: jaw sense 1
especially : mandible

More from Merriam-Webster on jawbone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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