jostle

1 of 2

verb

jos·​tle ˈjä-səl How to pronounce jostle (audio)
jostled; jostling ˈjā-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jostle (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to come in contact or into collision
a jostling crowd
b
: to make one's way by pushing and shoving
people jostling toward the exit
c
: to exist in close proximity
2
: to vie in gaining an objective : contend
tribes began to jostle with one another for roomDaniel Defoe

transitive verb

1
a
: to come in contact or into collision with
being jostled by the crowd
b
: to force by pushing : elbow
jostled his way through the crowd
c
: to stir up : agitate
thunder jostled us awake
d
: to exist in close proximity with
Europe, where a number of languages jostle each otherD. G. Mandelbaum
2
: to vie with in attaining an objective
an enormous industry in which a great many companies and interests jostle each other fiercelyWashington Post

jostle

2 of 2

noun

1
: the experience of being pushed or jostled (see jostle entry 1)
might glide through … life among them without a jostleThomas Jefferson
2
: the state of being crowded or pushed together : the state of being jostled
the state fair is deliberately about the crowds and jostle, the noise and overload of sight and eventDavid Foster Wallace

Examples of jostle in a Sentence

Verb Everyone in the crowd was jostling each other trying to get a better view. everyone glared at the man who jostled to the front of the line
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
But the MacBook lineup is more crowded than ever, with the 13-inch Air, 15-inch Air, and base model 14-inch Pro jostling for space. Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2024 During a motion transfer test, there was only a small amount of bounce, but likely not enough to jostle a partner awake. Lindsay Boyers, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
First, the quick clip across the plaza, the flourishing of tickets, the awkward jostle of knees and coats. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024 It’s not associated with weather systems or geographic features on the ground, and as its name suggests, essentially jostles planes around in otherwise clear skies. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for jostle 

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

alteration of justle, frequentative of joust entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1546, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jostle was in 1546

Dictionary Entries Near jostle

Cite this Entry

“Jostle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jostle. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

jostle

1 of 2 verb
jos·​tle ˈjäs-əl How to pronounce jostle (audio)
jostled; jostling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce jostle (audio)
1
: to run or knock against so as to jar : push roughly
2
: to make one's way by jostling

jostle

2 of 2 noun
: a jostling blow : shove

More from Merriam-Webster on jostle

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