1
: an abrupt, sharp, jerky blow or movement
awoke with a jolt
2
a(1)
: a sudden feeling of shock, surprise, or disappointment
the news gave them a jolt
(2)
: an event or development causing such a feeling
the defeat was quite a jolt
b
: a serious setback or reverse
a severe financial jolt
3
: a small but potent or bracing portion of something
a jolt of horseradish
jolted; jolting; jolts
1
a
: to disturb the composure of : shock
crudely jolted out of that mood—
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolfan announcement that jolted the community
b
: to interfere with roughly, abruptly, and disconcertingly
determination to pursue his own course was jolted badly—F. L. Paxson
F. L. Paxson2
: to cause to move with a sudden jerky motion
passengers being jolted along a bumpy road
3
: to give a knock or blow to
specifically
: to jar with a quick or hard blow
: to move with a sudden jerky motion
jolter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of jolt in a Sentence
Noun
I sprang out of bed with a jolt.
The car stopped with a jolt.
I got quite a jolt when I heard the door slam.
The defeat was quite a jolt to the team.
The stock market suffered a major jolt yesterday.
She needed a jolt of caffeine to start her day.
The unexpected praise he received gave him a jolt of confidence.
Verb
The explosion jolted the ship.
He was jolted forward when the bus stopped suddenly.
The loud bang jolted me awake.
The attack jolted the country into action.
She jolted the medical world with her announcement.
Recent Examples on the WebColin Capece, Conner Olsen, Robbie Hodin and Brenda De La Cruz, USA TODAY, 17 July 2024
Wednesday’s statement from Schiff — the heavy favorite in his U.S. Senate bid and a frequent guest on cable news — brought a jolt to an effort that had grown quieter after the weekend assassination attempt on former President Trump.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 18 July 2024
Such a gesture would be meaningful because, by some measures, the Bay Program needs to be jolted out of its inertia, said Keisha Sedlacek of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for jolt 
Noun
Miller and McGee eventually provided the jolt their team needed.
—Colin Capece, Conner Olsen, Robbie Hodin and Brenda De La Cruz, USA TODAY, 17 July 2024
Wednesday’s statement from Schiff — the heavy favorite in his U.S. Senate bid and a frequent guest on cable news — brought a jolt to an effort that had grown quieter after the weekend assassination attempt on former President Trump.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
Verb
No one was seriously injured, but the harrowing flight jolted Boeing’s leaders back into crisis mode.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 18 July 2024
Such a gesture would be meaningful because, by some measures, the Bay Program needs to be jolted out of its inertia, said Keisha Sedlacek of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for jolt
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jolt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near jolt
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jolt. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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