jostle

1 of 2

verb

jos·​tle ˈjä-səl How to pronounce jostle (audio)
jostled; jostling ˈjā-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jostle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to come in contact or into collision
a jostling crowd
b
: to make one's way by pushing and shoving
people jostling toward the exit
c
: to exist in close proximity
2
: to vie in gaining an objective : contend
tribes began to jostle with one another for roomDaniel Defoe

transitive verb

1
a
: to come in contact or into collision with
being jostled by the crowd
b
: to force by pushing : elbow
jostled his way through the crowd
c
: to stir up : agitate
thunder jostled us awake
d
: to exist in close proximity with
Europe, where a number of languages jostle each otherD. G. Mandelbaum
2
: to vie with in attaining an objective
an enormous industry in which a great many companies and interests jostle each other fiercelyWashington Post

jostle

2 of 2

noun

1
: the experience of being pushed or jostled (see jostle entry 1)
might glide through … life among them without a jostleThomas Jefferson
2
: the state of being crowded or pushed together : the state of being jostled
the state fair is deliberately about the crowds and jostle, the noise and overload of sight and eventDavid Foster Wallace

Examples of jostle in a Sentence

Verb Everyone in the crowd was jostling each other trying to get a better view. everyone glared at the man who jostled to the front of the line
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
McMillan was drifting into the area, jostling with Hunter one-on-one. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Oct. 2024 The two women were clearly surrounded by photographers jostling for shots of the two, and Hayek put her arm across Kidman’s body to seemingly steer her to face the photographers. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
It’s not associated with weather systems or geographic features on the ground, and as its name suggests, essentially jostles planes around in otherwise clear skies. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2024 At its best, Big Ideas jostles with brilliant songcraft that signifies her rapid growth as an artist—if the essential aesthetic is little changed, the execution is often warmer, more mature and expansive. Jordan Bassett, SPIN, 12 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for jostle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jostle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

alteration of justle, frequentative of joust entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1546, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jostle was in 1546

Dictionary Entries Near jostle

Cite this Entry

“Jostle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jostle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

jostle

1 of 2 verb
jos·​tle ˈjäs-əl How to pronounce jostle (audio)
jostled; jostling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jostle (audio)
1
: to run or knock against so as to jar : push roughly
2
: to make one's way by jostling

jostle

2 of 2 noun
: a jostling blow : shove

More from Merriam-Webster on jostle

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