1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to yank
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she jolted the door open with her elbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to shock
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the sneak terrorist attack jolted the country out of its indolence and indifference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jolt
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Now, as attention turns to April, the club just received a massive jolt.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Jiachuan Wu, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
As a new baseball season gets underway, here’s hoping that the owners’ memories are jolted by the smell of Cracker Jack® and horsehide.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Noun
For those who consider animal print a neutral, Matouk’s zebra towels are the jolt of fun your bathroom needs.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
Now, as attention turns to April, the club just received a massive jolt.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
But even with effective air defenses, Iran’s missiles and drones — and the debris from those that are intercepted — have killed and wounded civilians, inflicted significant damage on key energy facilities and jolted the global economy.
—Jiachuan Wu, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
As a new baseball season gets underway, here’s hoping that the owners’ memories are jolted by the smell of Cracker Jack® and horsehide.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolt
Noun
-
After the first collision, Beavers' truck continued north, rolled onto its left side, and hit the sound barrier wall on the right shoulder.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Although embedded in spectacle culture, these events occasionally presented the possibility of truly poetic clashes between languages and artistic traditions—what Glissant calls an éclat, collisions that create sparks of novelty.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The surprise is that there’s an American city that has pursued a similar approach, and the greater surprise is that the city is Hoboken, New Jersey, better known as a post-industrial port and bedroom community across the Hudson River from Manhattan.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But Beren is definitely a surprise.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When the clock finally ran out, Auriemma walked straight to the tunnel and didn’t shake hands.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The UConn players and assistant coaches shook hands with the South Carolina coaches and players after the game but Auriemma walked off the court after the game.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Chelsea were a few seconds from going out of the quarter-finals (losing 3-2 on aggregate) when Arsenal full-back Katie McCabe halted a run by Chelsea’s USWNT forward Alyssa Thompson by grabbing Thompson’s ponytail and yanking it, as shown above.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Severino allowed back-to-back singles with one out in the fourth and was yanked for reliever Elvis Alvarado.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One of his players from the 2005 team, outfielder Scott Podsednik, shocked Guillén with the announcement.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Coming off three straight 100-loss seasons and widely projected for a fourth in 2026, Polis believes the club’s changed front office, led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, gives the Rockies a shot to shock the baseball world with a wild-card berth.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Moments later, a bass thump sounded in the distance.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The experimental jet, part of NASA’s Quesst mission, is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound while producing only a soft sonic thump instead of a disruptive boom.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While many Americans shudder at the prospect of AI taking their jobs, business leaders and tech enthusiasts continue praising its potential, an optimism that is echoed across Silicon Valley and Wall Street.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The effort paid off almost immediately, said Jonas Preine, a volcanologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; by chance, at the end of January 2025, the region began to shudder.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In a viral video of the aftermath, the robot jerks back and forth to shake the glass off, showering yet more dangerous shards onto the sidewalk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Tony Fauci was not just jerking the country around.—
David Blumenthal,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolt. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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