1
as in shook
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
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2
as in jerked
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 shocked
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
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Recent Examples of jolted
Iran’s grip on the vital waterway has jolted the world economy and spiked fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.
—
Adam Schreck, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
That status quo is jolted by Frida (Mélanie Thierry), a writer who comes to observe Gabrielle at work as research for her upcoming novel.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Police said the electrical escalator malfunctioned, suddenly jolted, and threw people on it forward.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 13 May 2026
However, in the wild, the algae are the ocean’s introverts, and only glow when they are bothered, like jolted by a crashing wave or the hull of a passing boat.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
Trade wars, fueled by steep tariffs and an immigration crackdown, have jolted businesses.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 2 May 2026
In Hallow Road, Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys star as a couple who get jolted awake by a panicked call from their daughter, who has just hit a pedestrian with her car late at night.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
Michael Massey jolted into place.
—Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
Seven picks later, the Rams jolted the league by calling Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Adam Schreck, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
That status quo is jolted by Frida (Mélanie Thierry), a writer who comes to observe Gabrielle at work as research for her upcoming novel.
—Jon Frosch, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Police said the electrical escalator malfunctioned, suddenly jolted, and threw people on it forward.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 13 May 2026
However, in the wild, the algae are the ocean’s introverts, and only glow when they are bothered, like jolted by a crashing wave or the hull of a passing boat.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 May 2026
Trade wars, fueled by steep tariffs and an immigration crackdown, have jolted businesses.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 2 May 2026
In Hallow Road, Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys star as a couple who get jolted awake by a panicked call from their daughter, who has just hit a pedestrian with her car late at night.
—K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026
Michael Massey jolted into place.
—Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
Seven picks later, the Rams jolted the league by calling Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolted
Verb
-
Her plea will spare a lengthy discovery period and likely mark the legal denouement of a federal probe that shook Sacramento after the FBI recorded dozens of lobbyists in the summer of 2024 as part of the investigation.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
-
The writer-director sets her sophomore feature barely two years after the country shook off the despot’s iron grip.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
John jerked Maggie back by the elbow and stopped her from stepping into the street.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
-
My empty paper bowl jerked along the belt, stopping under each funnel.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
An Alsip man who drove past Evergreen Park High School at 58 mph and then increased his speed to 75 mph was shocked with a Taser during the traffic stop after releasing a dog from the car and struggling with officers, police said.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
-
In 1959, Levi was shocked to receive a letter informing him that a German publisher by the name of Fischer had just acquired the translation rights to If This Is a Man.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The way the stadium shuddered with noise.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
At least the elevator still creaked and shuddered, as in the old days, finally trembling open on the eighth floor.—
Rick Bragg,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Once, Denise yanked an earring out of Djena’s left ear, tearing the lobe.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
That infuriatingly catchy Kars4Kids donation jingle got yanked off the air in California.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Twain was by turns amused and appalled by the histrionics that taint our tellings of history, and by the yawning gaps between myth and reality.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Hiram Crombie is shocked and appalled that Jamie is taking the Trading Post from him and kicking him and the other men off Fraser’s Ridge?—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The pilot of a helicopter that crashed on a sightseeing flight off the Hawaiian island of Kauai last month, killing three passengers, told investigators that the aircraft vibrated and spun before plunging into the water, according to report released Friday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The envelope all but vibrated in her hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, federal policy has lurched in opposite directions.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jolted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolted. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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