JOLT Synonyms: 195 Similar and Opposite Words

jolt 1 of 2

noun

ˈjōlt

Definition of jolt

as in collision

a forceful coming together of two things pack the glass vase so that it won't fall victim to any hard jolts in transit

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Relevance

as in surprise

something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected the news of the CEO's sudden retirement was a jolt to us all

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jolt

2 of 2

verb

as in to shake

to make a series of small irregular or violent movements the roller coaster car jerked and jolted as it coursed along the old wooden tracks

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as in to yank

to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion she jolted the door open with her elbow

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as in to shock

to cause an unpleasant surprise for the sneak terrorist attack jolted the country out of its indolence and indifference

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of jolt

Noun

When the day starts at sunrise for wildlife safaris, hiking, or skiing, that java jolt is even more important. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 Across the region, other election officials were getting similar jolts. — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 22 Oct. 2026

Verb

Carrie’s world cracks open after her father’s death, and she is jolted from the confines of her quaint home for the first time to attend high school. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 This time the message went off-roading, traveling through the animal’s tissue as a faint electrical pulse and switching on an implant that jolted a nerve in that leg. — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jolt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolt

Noun

Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where the boy succumbed to injuries sustained in the collisions.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Apply the brakes if a collision is unavoidable to lessen the force of the crash.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of collision

Noun

His victory was seen as a bit of a surprise, as forecasters like the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball placed the race in their Lean Republican categories.

— Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
Then again, the trade deadline usually has one or two big surprises.

— Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of surprise

Verb

Soon after, a warden shook Guardado and shouted his name, but got no response and a medic then pronounced him dead.

— KIM CHANDLER, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
Ueno Bank’s failure has locked nearly half the country’s 6 million people out of their savings, shaking a country long viewed as one of South America’s more stable economies.

— Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of shake

Verb

Expecting to have to work hard to convince students of its merits, Aladjem was shocked to discover that nearly all of them were in favor of capital punishment.

— Dominic Erdozain, Time, 12 Nov. 2026
In 2024, right after her youngest was born, Ovard filed for divorce, a move that shocked those who’d come of age watching the high-school sweethearts.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of shock

Verb

Anticipation shudders throughout Burning Song despite its elegiac core.

— Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
For those who might shudder at the thought of eating raw hardy greens like collards or kale, this vibrant side inspired by the French bistro classic leeks vinaigrette is the answer.

— Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026