juggernaut

noun

jug·​ger·​naut ˈjə-gər-ˌnȯt 

-ˌnät

1

: a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path

an advertising juggernaut

a political juggernaut

2

chiefly British : a large heavy truck

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The History of Juggernaut

In the early 14th century, Franciscan missionary Friar Odoric brought to Europe the story of an enormous carriage that carried an image of the Hindu god Vishnu (whose title was Jagannath, literally, "lord of the world") through the streets of India in religious processions. Odoric reported that some worshippers deliberately allowed themselves to be crushed beneath the vehicle's wheels as a sacrifice to Vishnu. That story was likely an exaggeration or misinterpretation of actual events, but it spread throughout Europe. The tale caught the imagination of English listeners, and they began using juggernaut to refer to any massive vehicle (such as a steam locomotive) and to any other enormous entity with powerful crushing capabilities.

Synonyms

• bandwagon
• blitz
• campaign
• cause
• crusade
• drive
• movement
• push

Examples of juggernaut in a Sentence

there was no escaping the juggernaut of hype for the studio's biggest summer blockbuster

Recent Examples on the Web

This is largely true of any Rolex model, and the confusion is largely the result of Rolex being an industrial juggernaut that used interchangeable parts willy-nilly without keeping records. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2024

Until getting laid off, Singh was part of an army of drivers who make up the backbone of Amazon, a juggernaut that totaled nearly $575 billion in revenue last year. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 24 Sep. 2024

Projected to be an offensive juggernaut, Phoenix concluded the season eighth (out of 12 teams) in points scored per possession, seventh in 3-point percentage, and sixth in turnover rate. —Shane Young, Forbes, 22 Sep. 2024

Espada declared World Series expectations for this group late last year, and with no true juggernaut across the American League this year, a fifth Fall Classic appearance in this golden era is well within reach. —Michael Shapiro, Chron, 22 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Hindi Jagannāth, literally, lord of the world, title of Vishnu

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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