1
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
2
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
1
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pushing
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
Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
But for Ternus, perhaps the most critical aspect of his new job will be pushing the company deeper into AI, where it's lagged many of its megacap peers.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
March 21 – April 19 Something at home needs your attention, and pushing through it won’t work today.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
If emotions are running high, pause instead of pushing through a conversation that won’t land.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
The researchers are currently pushing the boundaries of their work by testing multi-legged particle shapes modeled after high-grip plant burrs to achieve even more powerful entanglement.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Office space is expensive, and the publishing industry has been downsizing for decades now, sometimes cutting staff, sometimes pushing workers to go hybrid.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2026
Tons of bikinis on the market right now feature subtle touches like eyelets, jacquard weaves, and embroidery, all of which up the cool factor without pushing you out of your comfort zone.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 20 Apr. 2026
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which a fifth of global oil transits in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing, pushing up the cost of gasoline, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
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
Somebody who is just living greatness and never rests on that laurel but is always pushing herself to expand as an artist.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
But for Ternus, perhaps the most critical aspect of his new job will be pushing the company deeper into AI, where it's lagged many of its megacap peers.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
March 21 – April 19 Something at home needs your attention, and pushing through it won’t work today.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
If emotions are running high, pause instead of pushing through a conversation that won’t land.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
The researchers are currently pushing the boundaries of their work by testing multi-legged particle shapes modeled after high-grip plant burrs to achieve even more powerful entanglement.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Office space is expensive, and the publishing industry has been downsizing for decades now, sometimes cutting staff, sometimes pushing workers to go hybrid.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2026
Tons of bikinis on the market right now feature subtle touches like eyelets, jacquard weaves, and embroidery, all of which up the cool factor without pushing you out of your comfort zone.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 20 Apr. 2026
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which a fifth of global oil transits in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing, pushing up the cost of gasoline, food and other basic goods far beyond the Middle East.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pushing
Adjective
-
Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Completely round and full, the full moon will be in the ambitious, mysterious sign of Scorpio.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lucas Giolito had a busy first full day in the Padres organization.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
As always, our NASCAR experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, took time out of their busy schedules to answer all our Talladega questions.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a four-game span, the Philadelphia 76ers star received a technical foul for shoving Donte DiVincenzo, and flagrant fouls for dragging Mitchell Robinson to the floor and swiping Brunson in the head.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
In the clip, he can be seen screaming in an airport terminal and shoving a stanchion.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Medical cost inflation surged, squeezing margins and forcing guidance lower, while Washington added uncertainty around reimbursements and oversight.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, inflation has ticked higher yet again, squeezing budgets and leaving less room for aggressive repayment strategies.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For aspiring writers scrolling through deal announcements on industry sites or social media, those vague labels can fuel both dreams and misconceptions.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Leventhal applauded the staff at the DCPA for helping set up such an experience for an aspiring professional musician.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For Ioane, that comes in the form of driving a defensive lineman into the ground to clear a path for his quarterback or running back.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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But the judge said that Hallford made credible claims of being a victim of domestic violence and that her ex-husband, Jon Hallford, was the driving force in their relationship.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The state has been pressing the federal government for a $608 million grant to cover the state taxpayer funds used to construct and operate the detention facility, but that money hasn’t materialized.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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This week, the US trade representative reinforced that strategy by pressing allies to shoulder more of the supply chain burden.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After fighting to find their way back to one another, Henry and Julia were at the standing stones of Craig Na Dun, hoping to return to their own time, and Brian and Ellen’s romantic escape was interrupted as the 1715 Jacobite Rising began, thrusting the clans into war.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
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The long-running series is enjoying its latest act on Netflix after previously airing on Fox and USA, tantalizing viewers by thrusting four couples due for a reckoning into an exotic locale overflowing with sultry singles whose only goal is to flirt.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pushing. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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