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
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
Maddie White, CBS News, 9 June 2026
The Chargers’ offense will likely see a jolt with new play-caller Mike McDaniel.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Its closure has jolted the world economy.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Noun
Data from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute shows downtown San Jose has only recovered about 90% of its pre-pandemic foot traffic — a figure that has local business owners eager for a jolt.
—Maddie White, CBS News, 9 June 2026
The Chargers’ offense will likely see a jolt with new play-caller Mike McDaniel.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
Verb
Israel launched airstrikes on central and western Iran after Tehran fired missiles at Israel, jolting major cities with explosions and raising fears the region is sliding back toward all-out war.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
Its closure has jolted the world economy.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolt
Noun
-
Scotland's Ben Gannon-Doak was trying to run down a long pass when Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou ran out to grab the ball, and both met in a crunching collision that left both players down for a minute.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
-
The alert also cited jet ski accidents involving American citizens, including a rider killed in a boat collision and cases of operators ignoring warnings of dangerous weather.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
The entire Knicks roster, head coach Mike Brown and other surprise guests will make appearances in the special episode.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
Hearing about the practice took me by surprise — the farm did what with that milk?—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Canada’s first-ever World Cup win was overshadowed yesterday when midfielder Ismaël Koné suffered a broken leg after a tackle that left teammates shaken and coach Jesse Marsch lamenting an injury that turned a night of celebration into one of anguish.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 June 2026
-
In a major rupture, strong shaking could cause severe damage near the fault and in areas built on soft or water-saturated soils, which can amplify shaking.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The announced attendance was a capacity 80,663, which is a little under 2,000 less than full capacity for the Giants and Jets as seats had to be yanked out down low to fit the regulation soccer field into MetLife Stadium.—
Andy Clayton,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
-
An abrupt sell-off in once-soaring artificial intelligence stocks yanked Wall Street sharply lower, erasing five weeks of gains and knocking the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, Dow and Nasdaq into broad retreat.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In a phone interview with The Times, her sister, Vanessa Marseille, said the family was shocked and devastated over the incident.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
The audience was definitely shocked and also touched.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
While playing Pragmata, the thump of approaching robots had solid directionality, and the weapon blasts had a good amount of low-end force.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
14 June 2026
-
The driver’s side opens, releasing the thump of music and a tall, lean figure.—
Shyla Watson,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
The series opens as City’s record-breaking run of 26 games unbeaten comes to a shuddering halt, with a string of defeats in late 2024 leaving Guardiola visibly shaken.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
-
The American flag has never been among those Davis shudders to make.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Although not all the novel’s major characters make it to the end of this uplifting yet tear-jerking work of historical fiction, Six-Thirty safely perseveres.—
Camille Perri,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
My biggest frustration is the way the operators literally jerk us around with the sudden hard stops.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolt. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
