thrust

1 of 2

verb

ˈthrəst 

thrust; thrusting

transitive verb

1

: to push or drive with force : shove

2

: to cause to enter or pierce something by or as if by pushing

thrust a dagger into his heart

3

: extend, spread

4

: stab, pierce

5

a

: to put (someone, such as an unwilling person) forcibly into a course of action or position

was thrust into the job

b

: to introduce often improperly into a position : interpolate

6

: to press, force, or impose the acceptance of upon someone

thrust new responsibilities upon her

intransitive verb

1

a

: to force an entrance or passage

b

: to push forward : press onward

c

: to push upward : project

2

: to make a thrust, stab, or lunge with or as if with a pointed weapon

thrust at them with a knife

thrust

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a forward or upward push

b

: a movement (as by a group of people) in a specified direction

2

a

: salient or essential element or meaning

the thrust of the argument

b

: principal concern or objective

the plan's major thrust is testing

—Ryan Lizza

3

a

: a strong continued pressure

b

: the sideways force or pressure of one part of a structure against another part (as of an arch against an abutment)

c

: the force produced by a propeller or by a jet or rocket engine that drives a vehicle (such as an aircraft) forward

d

: a nearly horizontal geologic fault

4

a

: a push or lunge with a pointed weapon

b(1)

: a verbal attack

(2)

: a military assault

Synonyms

Verb

• drive
• propel
• push
• shove

Examples of thrust in a Sentence

Verb

He thrust his hands into his pockets.

He thrust his fist into the air.

The doctor thrust the needle into the patient's arm.

He thrust at me with his sword.

Noun

With one last thrust he broke through the barrier.

a single thrust of his sword

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

By Melissa Locker and Chris Wilson April 6, 2024 6:40 AM EDT The upcoming solar eclipse will thrust Little Rock, Ark., into darkness between 1:51 p.m. and 1:54 p.m., giving viewers three minutes to take in the awe-inspiring totality. —Melissa Locker, TIME, 6 Apr. 2024

Russia's war on Ukraine has thrust NATO back into relevance, NPR's Teri Shultz explains on Up First. —Mansee Khurana, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024

And embrace the pressure, expectations and title-winning window that has been thrust upon them. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2024

His photogenic younger children have thrust him into the tabloids and onto the Hollywood red carpet. —Lauren Hirsch, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024

The prospect that the app will be banned has thrust Jeff Yass, the trading mastermind behind market-maker Susquehanna International Group, into an uncomfortable spotlight. —Tom Maloney, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024

The case also thrust Loudoun schools into the national debate over what bathrooms transgender students should use. —Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, and the withdrawal of US troops from the country, thrust ISIS-K into the global spotlight – especially after the group orchestrated a deadly bombing outside Kabul airport that killed 13 US military personnel and 170 Afghans. —Jessie Yeung, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024

Yet, this is the reality for many young adults exiting foster care, thrust into adulthood without a safety net, despite California’s reputation for progressive legislation. —Andre V. Chapman, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024

Noun

The forces of weight, thrust, drag and lift act on a plane to keep it aloft and moving. —Craig Merrett, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2024

The list includes the thrust for each engine, temperature, flap settings, and the plane’s direction. —Gregory Wallace, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024

Starship, with its Super Heavy booster, is the largest and most powerful rocket ever developed, taller than the Saturn V that sent Neil Armstrong to the moon and with about twice the thrust. —Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024

The Europa Clipper is scheduled to launch this fall atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, the most powerful rocket in the company’s fleet, producing 2.3 million kg (5 million lbs) of thrust at take-off. —TIME, 12 Feb. 2024

How the collectors would make their determinations underpins the thrust of Shulman’s film. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024

The thrust of the plan is to rehabilitate three bridges that make up parts of Ohio 562. —The Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2024

The announcements highlight the dual thrust propelling Arm's strategy forward: addressing energy efficiency with the N3's 20% improvement in performance-per-watt while targeting high-performance applications with the V3's 50% enhancement in performance-per-socket. —Steve McDowell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

For all of the science-fiction filigree, the thrust of the series is emotional — especially, though not entirely, as regards Jo and Alice, who don’t quite recognize each other, and the family drama that Magnus completes. —Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English thrusten, thristen, from Old Norse thrȳsta; probably akin to Old Norse thrjōta to tire, Old English thrēat coercion — more at threat

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Phrases Containing thrust

• counter-thrust
• cut and thrust
• thrust into the limelight
• thrust on/upon
• thrust stage

Kids Definition

thrust

1 of 2 verb

ˈthrəst 

thrust; thrusting

1

: to push or drive with force : shove

2

: to cause to enter or pierce something by pushing

thrust a knife into the bread

3

: to press or force the acceptance of upon someone

thrust new responsibilities upon her

thrust

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: a push or lunge with a pointed weapon

b

: a military attack

2

: the force produced by a propeller or jet or rocket engine that drives an aircraft or rocket forward

3

a

: a forward or upward push

b

: a movement (as by a group of people) in a particular direction