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
Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Underneath the broad comedy, the sagging and the seeping, Meat Suit is about that sense of loss — or rather, of constant flux, root-level change that, in truth, is always going on in our physical and ephemeral selves, but that the upending jolt of parenthood brings right to the surface.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Denni Hu, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
Iran was jolted by resurgent anti-government protests over the weekend, as Washington sought to build pressure on Tehran to accede to its demands ahead of new nuclear talks amid a massive American military buildup.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
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Noun
That would be a jolt for virtually all rural communities, where 1- and 2-acre zoning is common and housing density is discouraged.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Underneath the broad comedy, the sagging and the seeping, Meat Suit is about that sense of loss — or rather, of constant flux, root-level change that, in truth, is always going on in our physical and ephemeral selves, but that the upending jolt of parenthood brings right to the surface.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
The record-breaking nine-day Chinese New Year holiday has jolted the retail market back into action, offering early signs of a gradual recovery for luxury retail.
—Denni Hu, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
Iran was jolted by resurgent anti-government protests over the weekend, as Washington sought to build pressure on Tehran to accede to its demands ahead of new nuclear talks amid a massive American military buildup.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jolt. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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