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

Renault just gave one of its most beloved nameplates a jolt of electricity. — New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026 Prized for his ability to jar and jolt, Wolfson has finally delivered something that is, by his standards, not very surprising at all. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Verb

For more than a year, industry stakeholders in Georgia and the rest of the country have pondered how public policy could help jolt the film industry in the United States. — Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026 These passages seem unparalleled in literature and somehow bypass the brain to jolt the nervous system directly. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jolt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolt

Noun

Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events, including the difficulty of getting oil out of the Middle East since the start of the Iran war, which has raised the price of all oil products.

— Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
That collision is ultimately the defining moment of the work.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of collision

Noun

To [React with exaggerated surprise] is to DO A DOUBLE TAKE — as in, to take out double letters (not consecutive ones, mind you).

— Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Buckhead is far from a tranquil neighborhood, so this little oasis is a welcome surprise.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of surprise

Verb

In Panama City, about 125 miles from the earthquake’s epicentral area, residents rushed from high-rise buildings when the ground began shaking Friday.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
When war breaks out, he is shaken from his sleep and runs for an air-raid shelter.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of shake

Verb

No matter how one views the death penalty, the grisly details of this tragic incident should — to use a phrase coined by Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter — shock the conscience.

— Dr. Jacob Appel, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
The Israeli film, set in 1987, centers on a 12-year-old boy, Boaz, played by Yair Mazor, who, while preparing for his bar mitzvah, is shocked to witness his father (Assi Cohen) having sex in a swimming pool locker room.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of shock

Verb

Conservatives shuddered to think how close the country had come to permanent entangling alliances.

— Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
McDonald’s shares fell nearly 5% Wednesday, their largest percentage drop since April 2025, as investors shuddered at the eye-popping price of improving McDonald’s 46,000 global stores.

— Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026