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
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 Web
Brian Schaefer
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
The bravura sequence gets a fresh jolt when Nile abandons her lookout vessel and makes a spectacular entrance.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025
Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Hargitay jolts up, this time lugging the laptop into an en suite bathroom.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for jolt
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
Leafing through notes, photographs and manuscripts, Barnes also experienced a jolt of nostalgia for the tactual nature of objects.
—Brian Schaefer
july 7, Literary Hub, 7 July 2025
The bravura sequence gets a fresh jolt when Nile abandons her lookout vessel and makes a spectacular entrance.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025
Verb
Despite indications of a weaker labor market earlier in 2025, the Federal Reserve has yet to deploy its most powerful tool to jolt hiring: interest rate cuts.
—Derek Saul, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Hargitay jolts up, this time lugging the laptop into an en suite bathroom.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jolt. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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