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
John Walkup, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Gossip may feel satisfying for a second, but that jolt of connection or superiority rarely lasts.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 21 Apr. 2025
Miles Socha, Footwear News, 24 Apr. 2025
Their brain power — and money — will be a powerful tool in helping jolt San Francisco’s downtown back to life, Lurie said.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for jolt
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Noun
As New York City entered the spring 2025 real estate season, many buyers, sellers, and brokers expected Manhattan’s most active time of year to offer clarity, and perhaps even a jolt of energy, to a market that’s essentially been drifting sideways since late spring 2022.
—John Walkup, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Gossip may feel satisfying for a second, but that jolt of connection or superiority rarely lasts.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
Last month, Kering said Balenciaga’s star designer Demna would become the new artistic director of Gucci, tasked with jolting the Italian fashion house out of its doldrums with a gust of strong creativity.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 24 Apr. 2025
Their brain power — and money — will be a powerful tool in helping jolt San Francisco’s downtown back to life, Lurie said.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 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 5 May. 2025.
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