1
as in pushing
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 pressing
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 shoving
Stetson and Samuel -- my darling young men -- were sitting at the table, shoving and pulling one another in equally groggy measure.
—
Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The victim listed in the police records later told police about two incidents of physical assault, including grabbing, scratching, shoving and striking, according to the documents.
—Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
In the closing seconds of the first, Pierre-Luc Dubois rammed Travis Sanheim just in front of the Flyers bench, Zegras came flying in to defend him, and a scrum ensued that included Wilson and Travis Konecny pushing and shoving and jawing with one another.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Misguidedly shoving as many Peeps as possible into our mouths.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026
With Dylan Larkin in the box, Noah Cates put the Flyers ahead by three goals by shoving a loose puck over the goal line on the power play with less than four minutes to play in the second.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In early February, at an Airbnb Peters was renting near Orlando, Peters’ girlfriend, Violet Lentz, got into a shouting, shoving and pummeling match with another woman, while Peters posted the conflict to social media, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
When Red Bull’s Gustav Berggren was sent off in the 53rd minute for shoving Toklomati into open space, Charlotte was already rolling.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
Police released images Tuesday of a man wanted for shoving a good Samaritan onto the tracks at a Manhattan subway station.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
The victim listed in the police records later told police about two incidents of physical assault, including grabbing, scratching, shoving and striking, according to the documents.
—Meriam Bouarrouj, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026
In the closing seconds of the first, Pierre-Luc Dubois rammed Travis Sanheim just in front of the Flyers bench, Zegras came flying in to defend him, and a scrum ensued that included Wilson and Travis Konecny pushing and shoving and jawing with one another.
—Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Misguidedly shoving as many Peeps as possible into our mouths.
—Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026
With Dylan Larkin in the box, Noah Cates put the Flyers ahead by three goals by shoving a loose puck over the goal line on the power play with less than four minutes to play in the second.
—CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In early February, at an Airbnb Peters was renting near Orlando, Peters’ girlfriend, Violet Lentz, got into a shouting, shoving and pummeling match with another woman, while Peters posted the conflict to social media, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
When Red Bull’s Gustav Berggren was sent off in the 53rd minute for shoving Toklomati into open space, Charlotte was already rolling.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
Police released images Tuesday of a man wanted for shoving a good Samaritan onto the tracks at a Manhattan subway station.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoving
Verb
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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,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
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All those metrics are quickly met in the Ultra Fit class, but vigorous activity comes in many forms, each pushing the body to its limit in a short span of time.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Grapevine surges from behind, falls short Lake Creek provided most of the pressure early in the match, keeping the ball in Grapevine’s end and getting off six shots before the Mustangs started pressing in the 26th minute.—
Charles Baggarly & Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
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With no pressing need for FX, sets, name actors or stunts, just about anyone could make a marketable knockoff.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, government data shows that car insurance prices have soared 55% compared with six years ago, or just before the pandemic, driving up the number of Americans going without.—
Alexa St. John,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Smith went 2 for 2 with a walk and double at the plate, driving in 2 runs and scoring a run, all out of the 9 hole in the lineup for Southwest Christian (24-4 overall, 6-1 district).—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s so much data in the spoken word that gets lost when those words are converted to text — just like compressing an audio file into a fuzzy MP3 removes some of the music.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Several people compressing the traditional learning curve.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Sharpton's National Action Network Convention is thrusting the emerging race out into the open.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoving. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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