thrust; thrusting
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
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
1
2
: to make a thrust, stab, or lunge with or as if with a pointed weapon
thrust at them with a knife
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
Ryan Lizza3
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
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 WebCat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Once prosperous merchants, they are now thrust into a world of uncertainty in Hialeah.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Bonta’s lawsuit is the latest clash between California and Huntington Beach, which has thrust itself into the crosshairs of state lawmakers and the nation’s culture wars since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Gray’s article thrust the post back into the spotlight and created a new round of buzz among wine folk.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2024
Many twists and turns, ups and downs and wild rollercoaster progress have been thrust upon you.
—Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024
Republicans in Washington this week slammed the president for prioritizing student loan forgiveness at a time when the college financial aid process has been thrust into turmoil for many high school students.
—Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
He was shown a straight red card for thrusting his elbow at center back Al-Bulayhi’s chest and throat, then appeared to raise his fist towards the referee.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
An international relief organization that provides sustenance to both victims and first responders at humanitarian disasters around the world, the group was thrust unwillingly into a tragic spotlight Monday when seven of its aid workers operating in Gaza were killed by an Israeli airstrike.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024
While some caulk guns come with a single thrust ratio, this one provides two settings for high and low flow rates.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2024
This generates a reverse flow in this region that pushes against the supporting pillars, generating thrust in the direction of motion.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024
The airplane then began to decelerate with the thrust reversers but at a slower pace and the pilot indicated that the brakes were not working correctly, the report says.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2024
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
Verb
Microsoft in recent years has thrust itself to the forefront of the AI revolution by partnering with smaller companies, including a multibillion investment in OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.
—Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Once prosperous merchants, they are now thrust into a world of uncertainty in Hialeah.
—Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2024
Bonta’s lawsuit is the latest clash between California and Huntington Beach, which has thrust itself into the crosshairs of state lawmakers and the nation’s culture wars since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Gray’s article thrust the post back into the spotlight and created a new round of buzz among wine folk.
—Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2024
Many twists and turns, ups and downs and wild rollercoaster progress have been thrust upon you.
—Kyle Thomas, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024
Republicans in Washington this week slammed the president for prioritizing student loan forgiveness at a time when the college financial aid process has been thrust into turmoil for many high school students.
—Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
He was shown a straight red card for thrusting his elbow at center back Al-Bulayhi’s chest and throat, then appeared to raise his fist towards the referee.
—George Ramsay, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
An international relief organization that provides sustenance to both victims and first responders at humanitarian disasters around the world, the group was thrust unwillingly into a tragic spotlight Monday when seven of its aid workers operating in Gaza were killed by an Israeli airstrike.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 2 Apr. 2024
Noun
The aerospace startup added that the engine was running at 80 percent thrust to keep the drone cruising under Mach 1, a.k.a.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024
While some caulk guns come with a single thrust ratio, this one provides two settings for high and low flow rates.
—Nor'adila Hepburn, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2024
This generates a reverse flow in this region that pushes against the supporting pillars, generating thrust in the direction of motion.
—The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024
The airplane then began to decelerate with the thrust reversers but at a slower pace and the pilot indicated that the brakes were not working correctly, the report says.
—Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2024
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thrust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near thrust
Cite this Entry
“Thrust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrust. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thrust
2 of 2 noun1
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
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