PUSHING Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

pushing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpu̇-shiŋ

Definition of pushing

as in ambitious

having a strong desire for personal advancement among the young associates at the law firm, he was unmistakably the most pushing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in busy

thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited the sort of sycophantic, pushing man on the make that everyone loves to hate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pushing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of push

as in shoving

to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one I had to push my damaged bike all the way home

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in squeezing

to force one's way we had to push our way through a crowd that was mostly headed in the opposite direction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pushing

Adjective

The weight limit was a necessary move to equalize race conditions and curb the use of athletic specialists who, although not bobsledders, have in the past proven decisive in their teams’ success through the pushing phase. — Alessio Caprodossi, Wired News, 15 Feb. 2026 Musk plunged into a controversy of his own making after tweeting and deleting a post pushing baseless allegations about the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. — Hamza Shaban, Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2022

Verb

The president was pushing back against calls by tech leaders such as Anthropic's Dario Amodei, OpenAI's Sam Altman and SpaceXAI's Elon Musk to have greater government oversight of AI. — Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026 With yields now notching over 5%, longer-term interest rates across the economy are increasing, pushing up borrowing costs on the national debt as a result. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026 Some job seekers are pushing back against AI interviews in hiring — refusing them, withdrawing as candidates, or even blacklisting employers from future consideration. — Sarah Jackson juhohn Lee, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 Once more Sanders got uncomfortably close to Tallman, and Tallman responded by pushing him again, Tallman recalled. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, one of the Braves’ biggest shareholders is publicly pushing for the team to be sold. — Levi Weaver, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 Gusts up to 35 mph out of the north are possible, with the breeze pushing south toward Fresno. — Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Could thoughtful architecture, practical living spaces, durable materials and useful amenities be delivered without pushing homes into the highest end of the market? — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 The pressure pushing them toward it shows up plainly in the data. — Nital Shah, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pushing

Adjective

Officials called the dedication the first step in an ambitious process to improve the Tennessee airport near Parton’s final resting place.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
The staff’s efforts hit an impasse just as the office romance between Ned (Domhnall Gleeson), the paper’s by-the-book editor in chief, and Mare (Chelsea Frei), one of the few competent and ambitious reporters on staff, becomes a stress point.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of ambitious

Adjective

Alex Steen’s first summer in the big chair was busy, but everything mostly made sense.

— Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Amenities and experiences Harmon Guest House smartly devotes most of its real estate to guest rooms, allowing for maximum comfort in a busy area.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of busy

Verb

Golf equipment powerhouse Callaway ended its partnership with Good Good Golf amid the justified backlash over a video ad for a new Callaway driver that depicts a man aggressively shoving a woman to the ground.

— Greg Cote August 30, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
Pre-fight tensions escalated at the weigh-ins, with Itauma shoving Hrgovic off the stage, leading to a retaliatory slap from Hrgovic, adding fuel to the already compelling matchup.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of shoving

Adjective

For the people who loved the Detroit native and aspiring actress -- her mother, Katie Mattic, and sisters Jean Neal, Frances Douglas, Vivian Mattic and Virgie Binford -- that means tying up the loose ends of Margaret's life.

— Nicole Avery Nichols, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Tim was an aspiring playwright, who held several jobs throughout his life.

— Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of aspiring

Verb

After driving for a touchdown on their opening drive, the Wolverines didn’t score again until Buchanan snagged Underwood’s pass amid a crowd of defenders in the end zone.

— Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Yet too many adults focus on winning and chasing college scholarships, driving up the costs for families and pressure on children to specialize in one sport and succeed.

— Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of driving

Verb

Most importantly, Schlager is well-versed in the intense, pressing style that his fellow Austrian favours.

— Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
In a black-and-white photo, Maluma can be seen holding his newborn baby in one arm while draping the other around Gomez, pressing his forehead to hers.

— Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of pressing

Verb

Corbin uses cabbage as an anchor in his new and expanding Rolodex of flavors, thrusting it into the fire until the outer layers are blackened and frizzled.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Key players George Springer and Ernie Clement were sidelined, thrusting Jesus Sanchez into the outfield.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026