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
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
Islamabad has sought to reinject momentum into the negotiations, which had been set to resume this week but did not materialize, to end a war that has left thousands dead throughout the Middle East, jolted energy markets and clouded the global economic picture.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, after getting completely smothered over the past two nights, the Red Sox offense jolted to life in the second inning and took advantage of a defensive miscue that extended the inning.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Apr. 2026
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
Islamabad has sought to reinject momentum into the negotiations, which had been set to resume this week but did not materialize, to end a war that has left thousands dead throughout the Middle East, jolted energy markets and clouded the global economic picture.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, after getting completely smothered over the past two nights, the Red Sox offense jolted to life in the second inning and took advantage of a defensive miscue that extended the inning.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have pounded military and civilian infrastructure.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolted
Verb
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Their struggles are why Buster Posey shook things up by calling up Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
-
Eventually, the Thunder shook off the rust from an eight-day break and went up 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite 12 points from James.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
The plane jerked to a stop as two trucks passed just feet in front of its nose.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
-
We are jerked between past and present as his backstory gets filled in, one jogged memory at a time.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 1997, the businessman shocked diplomats at a black-tie gala by announcing the donation of a staggering $1 billion to the United Nations to benefit programs aiding refugees and children.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
Scott Gordon, chief of water enforcement for EPA’s regional office at the time, toured the site in 2000 and said he was shocked by how the industrial water found its path into the river, sometimes through gullies cut by the flow.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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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
-
Later, when Tristan gently put his hand on Marke’s shoulder, the king shuddered.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The two police officers who responded found a short, stocky man in the backyard and an aluminum shed with its door yanked off.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
During the scuffle, the victim’s gold chain was yanked from his neck.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
6 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
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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
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The envelope all but vibrated in her hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Each assault count corresponds to a moment Mendoza Hernandez’s car lurched forward, about seven seconds apart.—
Scott Lebar. Story produced with AI assistance,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
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France lurched from republic to dictatorship to empire before cycling back through absolute monarchy, constitutional monarchy, Second Republic, and Second Empire.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jolted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolted. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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