joust

1 of 2

verb

ˈjau̇st 

sometimes

ˈjəst 

or

ˈjüst 

jousted; jousting; jousts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to fight on horseback as a knight or man-at-arms

b

: to engage in combat with lances on horseback

2

: to engage in combat or competition as if in a joust

jousting debaters

jousting bighorn rams

jouster noun

joust

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a combat on horseback between two knights with lances especially as part of a tournament

b

jousts plural : tournament

2

: a personal combat or competition : struggle

Examples of joust in a Sentence

Verb

The knights jousted against each other.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The candidates have jousted recently after a public poll by Quinnipiac University poll showed Lamont ahead by 17 percentage points and another survey by Sacred Heart University placed Lamont ahead by 14 points. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026

Niners are going from clobbering the preseason Super Bowl favorite to facing a team jousting with Cleveland for consensus worst in the league. — Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026

Noun

Magic shows and jousts draw hordes of festival-goers, with performers and some visitors wearing period clothing. — Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 6 Sep. 2026

That more aggressive posture has been exemplified in Lewis George's smaller jousts with the mayor over housing and public safety policies, too. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 16 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French juster to unite, joust, from Vulgar Latin *juxtare, from Latin juxta near; akin to Latin jungere to join — more at yoke

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for joust

• doused
• faust
• oust

Kids Definition

joust

noun

ˈjau̇st

: a combat on horseback between two knights with lances especially as part of a tournament

joust verb

jouster noun