1
as in pushes
to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one
I had to keep shoving my heavy suitcase as I slowly made my way to the head of the line
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in presses
to push steadily against with some force
quit shoving your hand in my face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shoves
Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Near the end of the penultimate episode, Cashman confronts Blake about Urich, shoves him to the ground in a scuffle and shoots him dead.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Jason then leans in for what looks like a kiss — and shoves her aside to grab a Garage Beer instead.
—Ryan Brennan
april 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
Frances shoves June at Boy Carteret.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Season 2 springboards on Fisk’s strongarm rule and his mandate to clean up the streets of rebels via his brutish Anti-Vigilante Task Force, which rounds up people – echoing recent INS maneuvers – and shoves them into deplorable conditions and cages.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
But for a mine, all that needs to happen is a vessel pulls up, shoves one overboard, and moves on.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
Levi shoves someone just out of the frame, demands to know who threw stones, and later fires a shot, seemingly away from the crowd.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
The agent shoves the observer again, and then turns his attention to Pretti, pushing him out of the way before shoving the observer to the ground.
—Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Our boy runs up, shoves the other player, and gets the ball.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
Near the end of the penultimate episode, Cashman confronts Blake about Urich, shoves him to the ground in a scuffle and shoots him dead.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Jason then leans in for what looks like a kiss — and shoves her aside to grab a Garage Beer instead.
—Ryan Brennan
april 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
Frances shoves June at Boy Carteret.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Season 2 springboards on Fisk’s strongarm rule and his mandate to clean up the streets of rebels via his brutish Anti-Vigilante Task Force, which rounds up people – echoing recent INS maneuvers – and shoves them into deplorable conditions and cages.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
But for a mine, all that needs to happen is a vessel pulls up, shoves one overboard, and moves on.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
Levi shoves someone just out of the frame, demands to know who threw stones, and later fires a shot, seemingly away from the crowd.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
The agent shoves the observer again, and then turns his attention to Pretti, pushing him out of the way before shoving the observer to the ground.
—Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoves
Verb
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With Balanchine—whose brush with Bradley came after his precocious beginnings with the Ballets Russes but before his immigration to America and eventual founding of New York City Ballet—Footer pushes hard on not much more than the fact that the two choreographers shared dancers and proclivities.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
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Besides, May pushes you to venture out of your comfort zone professionally, whether through travel, publishing or education.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
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The pursuing agent presses a button, unlocking the device attached to their vehicle’s front bumper, and a net springs out.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Sensors measure how hard and how quickly the driver presses the pedal.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Verb
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So does her husband who drives a van for people with disabilities.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
7 May 2026
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As with all the company’s apparel and merchandise purchases, a portion of the proceeds supports the Guy Harvey Foundation, which funds scientific research, advances education and drives advocacy to protect marine ecosystems.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Packing down a landing pad sounds easier to him than building berms because the regolith readily compresses, at least in simulations.—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
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This immediacy compresses decision-making timelines and speeds the pace of engagements.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoves. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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