: any of various monocotyledonous often tufted marsh plants (as of the genera Juncus and Luzula of the family Juncaceae, the rush family) with cylindrical often hollow stems which are used in bottoming chairs and plaiting mats
rushed; rushing; rushes
1
: to move forward, progress, or act with haste or eagerness or without preparation
2
: to advance a football by running plays
rushed for a total of 150 yards
1
: to push or impel on or forward with speed, impetuosity, or violence
2
: to perform in a short time or at high speed
3
: to urge to an unnatural or extreme speed
don't rush me
4
: to run toward or against in attack : charge
5
a
: to carry (a ball) forward in a running play
b
: to move in quickly on (a kicker or passer) to hinder, prevent, or block a kick or pass
—used especially of defensive linemen
6
a
: to lavish attention on : court
b
: to try to secure a pledge of membership (as in a fraternity) from
2
a
: a burst of activity, productivity, or speed
b
: a sudden insistent demand
3
: a thronging of people usually to a new place in search of wealth
a gold rush
4
a
: the act of carrying a football during a game : running play
b
: the action or an instance of rushing a passer or kicker in football
a pass rush
5
a
: a round of attention usually involving extensive social activity
b
: a drive by a fraternity or sorority to recruit new members
6
: a print of a motion-picture scene processed directly after the shooting for review by the director or producer : daily sense 3
—usually used in plural
7
a
: the immediate pleasurable feeling produced by a drug (such as heroin or cocaine)
called also flash
… stimulants found in the bath salts provide a rush similar to cocaine or methamphetamine.—
Larry Oakes
Larry Oakes
b
: a surge in energy following the intake of sugar or caffeine
The sugar rush has many causes, but one of the most important was the invention of high-fructose corn syrup in 1957.—Tiffany O'Callaghan
Tiffany O'CallaghanDrink one fast and you might experience brain freeze and a caffeine rush at the same time.—Margaret McCormick
Margaret McCormick
c
: a sudden feeling of intense pleasure or excitement : thrill
… boys and girls around the country still get a rush out of zipping downhill in hand-made cars at speeds up to 30 mph.—Rene Romo
Rene Romo
: requiring or marked by special speed or urgency
rush orders
the rush season
a rush job
Synonyms
Examples of rush in a Sentence
Verb
Firefighters rushed to the accident scene.
The children rushed down the stairs.
I rushed home from work to get ready for the party.
She rushed to close the window when she heard the rain.
We were rushing to catch the bus.
He got nervous because they rushed him.
He rushed through his work and made a lot of careless mistakes.
Water rushed through the pipes.
The rushing water broke through the barrier.
Recent Examples on the WebBlake Oestriecher, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
But then, of course, simultaneously, a rush of other things.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
The next day, the Elimination Challenge started with an immediate party foul: In a rush, Alisha accidentally dropped a bottle of Miller High Life from the cooler.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024
That helped spark a rush to embrace generative AI: CEOs littered their earnings statements with references to the new technology, and investors sent shares of companies like Nvidia and Microsoft to record highs.
—Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 27 Mar. 2024
Leota, Barno and Vilain were all here last year, but none of them have been particularly successful in the pass rush department.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2024
The silence and hunger to see paper in the mailbox, anything from my girl, spurred nausea and a rush to the Stoics.
—Damien Cave, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
First responders received the report a little after 5 p.m. and began their rush to Compo Beach nearby.
—Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024
And a day goes by, and artillery, but my neighbor’s funeral passes along
slowly, why rush at a time like this!
—Nasser Rabah, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
But rarely did a heat wave cause thousands in India to perish or push waters off the coast of Florida to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing biologists to scoop endangered corals out of the ocean and rush them into labs.
—Lydia Millet, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
The two were rushed to a local hospital, where Shaunda died.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
When preparing the lemongrass and galangal, don’t be tempted to rush through the knife work.
—Diep Tran, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Jones rushed to the aid of Justin’s friend and took him to an ambulance, according to the lawsuit.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Plus, anyone who watched the parade of powerful NBC journalists, anchors, and talking heads — McDaniel’s new colleagues — rush to condemn her must have seen the writing on the wall.
—Roger Ream, National Review, 28 Mar. 2024
The child was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
In Week 3, Dobbs engineered a 28-16 win over Dallas by going 17 of 21 for 189 yards and rushing for 55 yards on six carries.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2023
This is has not been rush mode.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 25 Mar. 2023
Others were rush jobs.
—Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2022
Does Kimberly know not attending one pre-rush event won’t disqualify you from actually rushing?
—Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2021
Noun
McIntyre is proving his worth to WWE right now, but WWE hasn’t been in any rush to re-sign top stars to high-dollar deals, as evidenced by Becky Lynch’s soon-to-be-expiring contract.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
But then, of course, simultaneously, a rush of other things.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
The next day, the Elimination Challenge started with an immediate party foul: In a rush, Alisha accidentally dropped a bottle of Miller High Life from the cooler.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2024
That helped spark a rush to embrace generative AI: CEOs littered their earnings statements with references to the new technology, and investors sent shares of companies like Nvidia and Microsoft to record highs.
—Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 27 Mar. 2024
Leota, Barno and Vilain were all here last year, but none of them have been particularly successful in the pass rush department.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2024
The silence and hunger to see paper in the mailbox, anything from my girl, spurred nausea and a rush to the Stoics.
—Damien Cave, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
First responders received the report a little after 5 p.m. and began their rush to Compo Beach nearby.
—Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2024
And a day goes by, and artillery, but my neighbor’s funeral passes along
slowly, why rush at a time like this!
—Nasser Rabah, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Verb
The Bahamas’ motley mob included experts in fishing wrecks sunk along the Florida coast, locals who rushed to salvage Spanish, British, Dutch and French valuables lost to hurricanes and storms.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
But rarely did a heat wave cause thousands in India to perish or push waters off the coast of Florida to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing biologists to scoop endangered corals out of the ocean and rush them into labs.
—Lydia Millet, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
The two were rushed to a local hospital, where Shaunda died.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
When preparing the lemongrass and galangal, don’t be tempted to rush through the knife work.
—Diep Tran, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Jones rushed to the aid of Justin’s friend and took him to an ambulance, according to the lawsuit.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Plus, anyone who watched the parade of powerful NBC journalists, anchors, and talking heads — McDaniel’s new colleagues — rush to condemn her must have seen the writing on the wall.
—Roger Ream, National Review, 28 Mar. 2024
The child was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
In Week 3, Dobbs engineered a 28-16 win over Dallas by going 17 of 21 for 189 yards and rushing for 55 yards on six carries.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The difference-maker on defense will again be rush end Jared Verse, coming off a nine-sack campaign in his first year in Tallahassee.
—Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 7 Aug. 2023
This is has not been rush mode.
—Evan Grant, Dallas News, 25 Mar. 2023
Others were rush jobs.
—Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2022
Does Kimberly know not attending one pre-rush event won’t disqualify you from actually rushing?
—Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rush.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English rysc; akin to Middle High German rusch rush, Lithuanian regzti to knit
Verb
Middle English russhen, from Anglo-French reuser, ruser, russher to drive back, repulse, from Latin recusare to oppose — more at recusant
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Noun (2)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
1879, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of rush was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing rush
Dictionary Entries Near rush
Cite this Entry
“Rush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rush. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
rush
1 of 4 noun
: any of various marsh plants that are monocotyledons often having hollow stems sometimes used to weave chair seats and mats
rush
2 of 4 verb1
: to move forward or act with haste or eagerness
2
: to perform in a short time or at high speed
rushed the job through
3
: to urge on to greater speed
don't rush me
4
: to run toward or against in attack : charge
rusher
noun
rush
3 of 4 noun1
: a violent forward motion
a rush of wind
2
: a burst of activity or speed
3
: an eager migration of people usually to a new place in search of wealth
the gold rush
rush
4 of 4 adjective
: demanding special speed or hurry
rush orders
the rush season
Etymology
Noun
Old English rysc "the rush plant"
Verb
Middle English russhen "to rush," from early French ruser "to drive off, repulse," from Latin recusare "to oppose"
Medical Definition
rush
noun1
: a rapid and extensive wave of peristalsis along the walls of the intestine
peristaltic rush
2
: the immediate pleasurable feeling produced by a drug (as heroin or amphetamine)
called also flash
Biographical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on rush
Nglish: Translation of rush for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of rush for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rush
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