1
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things
pack the glass vase so that it won't fall victim to any hard jolts in transit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in surprise
something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected
the news of the CEO's sudden retirement was a jolt to us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the roller coaster car jerked and jolted as it coursed along the old wooden tracks
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to yank
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she jolted the door open with her elbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to shock
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the sneak terrorist attack jolted the country out of its indolence and indifference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jolt
Afp, Fortune Asia, 16 Jan. 2025
But the value lies less in their individual action and more in their ability to serve as a powerful jolt to our collective moral imagination — to shift the Overton window, the range of behaviors that seem possible.
—Sigal Samuel, Vox, 21 Jan. 2025
Robert Daniels, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
At certain intervals, Chernov’s English-language voiceover jolts us out of the urgent present-tense action to inform the audience which of the men on screen have subsequently died, somewhat undercutting whatever progress is shown towards Andriivka.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for jolt 
Noun
Such a jolt could potentially have a devastating 8-9 magnitude, trigger colossal tsunamis, kill several hundred thousand people, and cause billions of dollars in damage, experts say.
—Afp, Fortune Asia, 16 Jan. 2025
But the value lies less in their individual action and more in their ability to serve as a powerful jolt to our collective moral imagination — to shift the Overton window, the range of behaviors that seem possible.
—Sigal Samuel, Vox, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
The arrival of an orange cassette in the mail, however, jolts Taka into action.
—Robert Daniels, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
At certain intervals, Chernov’s English-language voiceover jolts us out of the urgent present-tense action to inform the audience which of the men on screen have subsequently died, somewhat undercutting whatever progress is shown towards Andriivka.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for jolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolt
Noun
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During a news briefing the following day, President Donald Trump baselessly suggested the collision was the result of the Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity hiring goals.—
Katie Smith,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
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The collision caused the bus — which had traveled out of Progreso, about 58 miles northeast of Guatemala City — to fall 115 feet into a sewage-polluted stream, The Independent reported.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This shouldn't come as that much of a surprise; Meta has been open about its plans to use data collected from its Quest VR headsets to improve its products.—
Will McCurdy,
PCMAG,
15 Feb. 2025
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This surprise promotion to first place saw rookie Gio Ruggiero impressively claim second place in his series debut.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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My desire is stronger for us, even in just this country, to heal, and to talk, and to shake each other’s hands.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2025
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Add ice, seal tins and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
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With Dexter Lawrence of the New York Jets, Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea and Seattle’s Leonard Williams anchoring the strength test, the AFC got yanked into a foam pit twice in a best-of-three event.—
Mark Long,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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In his defence, Chris knows that Min’s student visa is about to expire, and that his wealthy grandma (Youn Yuh-jung) is about to yank him back to Korea to take up a job in the family business.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
An Orange County teacher arrested last week for asking children to show their genitals was interviewed by law enforcement regarding the disappearance of Madeline Soto, the 13-year-old girl whose killing last year shocked Central Florida.—
Silas Morgan,
Orlando Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2025
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While fans are still breaking down everything that happened on the stage, Stephen A. Smith offered his review of the show, which included a surprise appearance from tennis icon Serena Williams that shocked the world.—
Regina Cho,
VIBE.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Outlook Single Double Triple Homer Texas moved quickly to bring in Pederson after trading Nathaniel Lowe, sacrificing a lot of fielding value but maintaining similar left-handed thump for the lineup.—
Tim Britton,
The Athletic,
12 Feb. 2025
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Talanoa Hufanga against the run The Niners’ veteran safety provided serious thump and steady run fits to help San Francisco’s defense keep the Rams out of the end zone in this game.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Pattinson is a revelation here, taking on both Mickeys, giving them distinct personalities and conflict, deadpan and dead, a hilarious performance that takes on new dimension as the story progresses.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
15 Feb. 2025
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Only in Rose’s case does the revelation wield some dramatic heft.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Fire victims like Zaire Calvin of Altadena, whose sister Evelyn McClendon perished in a blaze that burned down their family home, shuddered to think of another blaze like the Eaton Fire igniting.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
15 Jan. 2025
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Sure, the movie eventually stumbles across a variety of recognizable genre signifiers (an ominous circle of mushrooms, a row of bushes that ward off local spirits, a puddle that shudders while the rest of the world lies still, etc.), but only after it’s set its terms on a more elemental level.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
25 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near jolt
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolt. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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