Synonyms of jolts

jolts 1 of 2

noun

plural of jolt

1

as in collisions

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

• collisions
• shocks
• thumps
• impacts
• crashes
• bumps
• slams
• blows
• slaps
• kicks
• encounters
• punches
• contacts
• concussions
• knocks
• strikes
• impingements
• hits
• jounces
• jars
• wallops
• smashes
• touches
• raps
• buffets
• thrashings
• batterings
• bashings
• lickings
• meetings

2

as in shocks

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

• shocks
• surprises
• revelations
• bombshells
• bolts from the blue
• stunners
• jars
• thunderclaps
• jaw-droppers
• kickers
• shockers
• wonders
• marvels
• eye-openers
• amazements
• twists
• fillips
• kicks
• wrinkles

jolts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of jolt

1

as in shakes

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

• shakes
• shudders
• jerks
• vibrates
• quivers
• shivers
• trembles
• convulses
• wobbles
• twitches
• quakes
• jiggles
• judders
• joggles
• sways
• buckets
• agitates
• jounces
• throbs
• waves
• flickers
• swings
• rocks
• thrills
• flutters
• chatters
• pulses
• quavers
• palpitates
• fluctuates
• oscillates
• pulsates
• wavers
• undulates
• dodders
• pitter-patters
• beats
• pit-a-pats

2

as in jerks

to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion

she jolted the door open with her elbow

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jerks
• yanks
• lurches
• twitches
• pulls
• shakes
• grabs
• tugs
• hitches
• bumps
• bucks
• hoicks
• tears
• staggers
• jogs
• jiggles
• drags
• snatches
• rips
• plucks
• joggles
• jounces
• lugs
• snaps (up)
• tweaks
• wrenches
• jigs
• pitches
• wrings
• wrests

3

as in appalls

to cause an unpleasant surprise for

the sneak terrorist attack jolted the country out of its indolence and indifference

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shocks
• appalls
• stuns
• horrifies
• scares
• startles
• shakes
• frightens
• outrages
• shakes up
• astonishes
• floors
• terrifies
• alarms
• disgusts
• overwhelms
• amazes
• panics
• stupefies
• frights
• flabbergasts
• terrorizes
• spooks
• dismays
• revolts
• dumbfounds
• nauseates
• awes
• freaks (out)
• bowls over
• sickens
• upsets
• knocks for a loop
• affrights
• scandalizes
• unsettles
• displeases
• repels
• offends
• disturbs
• disconcerts
• distresses
• disquiets
• scarifies
• astounds
• unnerves
• discomforts
• perturbs
• turns off
• daunts
• chills
• undoes
• dispirits
• emasculates
• overpowers
• demoralizes
• unstrings
• unmans
• discomposes
• crushes
• weirds out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• delights
• pleases
• buffers
• cushions
• rejoices
• tickles
• gratifies
• cheers
• entices
• assures
• tempts
• comforts
• charms
• soothes
• reassures
• consoles
• solaces

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of jolts

Noun

Additional jolts of sophistication come courtesy of a custom Area Environments wall covering, a gold mirror from Made Goods, Jiun Ho sconces, and German photographer Ellen von Unwerth’s black and white snapshot of a carefree Naomi Campbell. — Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 13 July 2026

Takeoff and landing are when many aviation incidents occur—they’re considered the most critical phases of a flight and when an aircraft is most vulnerable to sudden, unexpected jolts of motion. — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026

The building jolts and is cloaked in blackness. — Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026

Edwards’ explosiveness produces randomized jolts of spectacular. — Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 9 May 2026

That week, nobody talked about anything but the lead-up to the big challenge in which Bukele and La Choly would see who could withstand the jolts of that bumpy musical fairground ride, which tries to shake off its passengers. — Óscar Martínez, The Dial, 30 Apr. 2026

The jolts are muted, the setpieces are drab, and the gore is all too literally kept under wraps. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026

Then, as the pandemic waned, in 2023 and early ’24, came two jolts to the system – federal pandemic-era assistance ended, pulling food and food-related funding away from charities, and the number of people seeking food continued to grow. — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026

Two of America’s largest tech companies suffered stunning defeats in court this week, sustaining early jolts in what could prove to be a seismic shift in how social media operates amid a new landscape of legal risk. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026

Verb

At a time when Hacks’s final season seems all but destined to receive a farewell Emmy in this category, with rivals like The Bear, Abbott Elementary, and Only Murders in the Building feeling too familiar to truly rock the boat, could a comedy-horror hybrid be the thing that actually jolts the race? — Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 June 2026

The arrival of a woman who works in the sweatshop, Jianhu (Poppy Liu), jolts the story into a new direction, and even a new dimension. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 May 2026

Blue light jolts us awake, blocking our body’s impulse to produce melatonin when the sun fades. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 Apr. 2026

Inflammation and the immune system Being doused in cold water jolts your sympathetic nervous system into gear. — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 13 Nov. 2025

An ice bath, by contrast, jolts the whole nervous system—not just the vagus nerve, Tracey wrote in an op-ed published in 2024. — Clarissa Brincat, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2025

Ice water jolts the nervous system. — Dayanne S. Antonio, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025