as in startling
causing a strong emotional reaction because of unexpectedness
the jolting news about our friend's premature death
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in shaking
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 yanking
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 appalling
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 jolting
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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
On social media, residents across the area described the earthquake jolting their homes and rattling windows and doors.
—
William B. Davis,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
And while cinematically the evidence may not yet be persuasive, with a young generation listening to its own instincts and economically jolting a sclerotic system, the parallel feels bang-on.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
31 May 2026
Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several related products, jolting the world economy.
—
Mariam Fam,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2026
Its closure has caused a spike in the price of oil, gas, and several downstream products, jolting the world economy.
—
Samy Magdy,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several downstream products, jolting the world economy.
—
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Chloe Claudel, picking up on that thread, directs the play in a cleverly glitchy mode, giving you normality with sudden, jolting gestures that move it into territory that’s unsettling, hilarious, or oddly serene.
—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Verb
The royal, who was seen repeatedly blinking before jolting awake, was attending the annual ANZAC Day service at London's Westminster Abbey, which is held to commemorate Commonwealth soldiers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada who served and died in wars and peacekeeping operations.
—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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
On social media, residents across the area described the earthquake jolting their homes and rattling windows and doors.
—
William B. Davis,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
And while cinematically the evidence may not yet be persuasive, with a young generation listening to its own instincts and economically jolting a sclerotic system, the parallel feels bang-on.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
31 May 2026
Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several related products, jolting the world economy.
—
Mariam Fam,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2026
Its closure has caused a spike in the price of oil, gas, and several downstream products, jolting the world economy.
—
Samy Magdy,
Fortune,
24 May 2026
Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several downstream products, jolting the world economy.
—
ABC News,
24 May 2026
Chloe Claudel, picking up on that thread, directs the play in a cleverly glitchy mode, giving you normality with sudden, jolting gestures that move it into territory that’s unsettling, hilarious, or oddly serene.
—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolting
Adjective
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The visitor—who understands English but can’t speak—gradually learns to fit in while deploying his few but startling paranormal abilities.
-
In a 2010 study, scientists cooked meatloaf and found that startling quantities of silicone migrated into the food.
Verb
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Right now, that faith is shaking as a wave of cruelty sweeps through our communities.
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With more shaking or churning, these grains grow and separate from the watery, naturally low-fat buttermilk.
Verb
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Now, with the federal and state government yanking back plenty of that funding and directly barring the city from enacting some of its more aggressive climate plans, Higgins is left with a narrow road to tread toward progress.
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The virtual oar-yanking celebration in a baseball atmosphere was one of those weird juxtapositions that seem to get fostered whenever a World Cup fanbase descends upon a host city.
Verb
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The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.
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Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
Adjective
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Against that backdrop, some say the ships are offering a surprising sense of connection.
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In many ways, the strong turnout for the World Cup isn't all that surprising.
Verb
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A lot of people are upset by the notion of bringing cage fights to the White House, shuddering at the bad taste of it all.
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Design practices Not knowing ahead of time what lunar explorers may face is an unsure, shuddering proposition.
Verb
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Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.
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Some were petty — like Reese committing a foul against Clark, then jerking her head back, impersonating Clark as a flopper.
Verb
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Cape Verde came onto the international stage with a thrilling show — shocking the world with its 0-0 draw against Spain, where Vozinha was catapulted into sports stardom for stonewalling the Spanish, and on to its 2-2 stalemate with Uruguay.
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That’s shocking news for anybody.
Cite this Entry
“Jolting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolting. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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