jostle

verb

Save Word

jos·tle | \ ˈjä-səl

jostled; jostling\ ˈjā-s(ə-)liŋ

Definition of jostle

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : 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 room— Daniel Defoe

transitive verb

1a : 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 other— D. G. Mandelbaum

2 : to vie with in attaining an objective an enormous industry in which a great many companies and interests jostle each other fiercely — Washington Post

jostle

noun

Definition of jostle (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the experience of being pushed or jostled (see jostle entry 1) might glide through … life among them without a jostle— Thomas 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 event— David Foster Wallace

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about jostle

Keep scrolling for more

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 Error 0: Absences aside, the Celtics have lost five of their past seven games to fall back into the pack of five teams that will be jostling for playoff positioning behind the Bucks during the second half of the season. — Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, "Some positives from another loss: Celtics kept fighting against Bucks," 17 Jan. 2020 The strategic mess in Libya smacks of an earlier era, when foreign powers jostled for influence in resource-rich lands consumed by political turmoil. — Washington Post, "Libya’s war could be a snapshot of the 21st century’s new normal," 10 Jan. 2020 On a chilly fall morning in Red Hook, Brooklyn, the Queen Mary 2, the luxury liner known for its opulent black-tie dinners and ballroom dances, docked under blue skies while a fleet of 50 or so taxis jostled for position on the wharf. — Lisa M. Collins, New York Times, "How Cruise Ships Bring 1,200 Tons of Toxic Fumes to Brooklyn a Year," 27 Dec. 2019 Petty Officer Grills dropped once again, but winds jostled the helicopter. — New York Times, "Overtaken by Frigid Seas, Hours From Help, There Was Little Chance of Survival," 9 Jan. 2020 But lawmakers have already started jostling over the parameters of the looming battle. — Alana Abramson, Time, "Democrats Have Impeached Trump in the House. Now the Battle Will Intensify," 19 Dec. 2019 The tinkle of ornaments jostled. Giddy laughter, and the caroling tones of José Feliciano or Bing Crosby in the background. — Paul Stephen, ExpressNews.com, "Easy Christmas morning empanadas — sweet and savory — and hot chocolate," 18 Dec. 2019 As gauzy sunlight broke through the fog, O’Dea watched rush hour drivers jostle among an assortment of hulking trucks: flatbeds, semis, delivery vehicles, box trucks, big rigs. — Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, "Heavy trucks are among California’s biggest polluters. Can the state make them go electric?," 6 Dec. 2019 Whether dining in someone’s home or at a restaurant, jostling in confusion for your seat is never a good look. — Jill Gleeson, Country Living, "Here's Why Proper Dining Etiquette Is Still Important, and What to Know," 6 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Rival arms of the state, including the security forces, jostle for influence. — The Economist, "Trapped in Iran," 28 Jan. 2020 What feels uniquely contemporary, in the case of the Clio ad and others like it, is how the prerogatives of clickbait and the trappings of awards-bait jostle against each other within its borders. — Jonah Weiner, New York Times, "Is the Viral Non-Ad Ad the Future of Advertising?," 11 Nov. 2019 Inside the fortifications, churches such as the 12th-century St. Tryphon Cathedral jostle for space alongside museums, restaurants and souvenir shops. — Erin E. Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Dubrovnik’s Dothraki-like hordes make Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor appealing," 11 Oct. 2019 Inside the fortifications, churches such as the 12th-century St. Tryphon Cathedral jostle for space alongside museums, restaurants and souvenir shops. — Erin E. Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Dubrovnik’s Dothraki-like hordes make Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor appealing," 11 Oct. 2019 Inside the fortifications, churches such as the 12th-century St. Tryphon Cathedral jostle for space alongside museums, restaurants and souvenir shops. — Erin E. Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Dubrovnik’s Dothraki-like hordes make Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor appealing," 11 Oct. 2019 But now, amid worry about affordability and a tone around college admissions that feels more about branding than learning, students like Mr. Lee are feeding a counternarrative to the privileged, overanxious jostle for prestige. — Laura Pappano, New York Times, "Where 4-Year Schools Find a Pool of Applicants: 2-Year Schools," 10 Oct. 2019 Inside the fortifications, churches such as the 12th-century St. Tryphon Cathedral jostle for space alongside museums, restaurants and souvenir shops. — Erin E. Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Dubrovnik’s Dothraki-like hordes make Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor appealing," 11 Oct. 2019 Inside the fortifications, churches such as the 12th-century St. Tryphon Cathedral jostle for space alongside museums, restaurants and souvenir shops. — Erin E. Williams, chicagotribune.com, "Dubrovnik’s Dothraki-like hordes make Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor appealing," 11 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jostle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.