Standard Lemma guide

jostle

noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈd͡ʒɒs.əl/
  • US: /ˈd͡ʒɑ.səl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒsəl
  • CMU ARPABET: JH AA1 S AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of jostling someone or something; push, shove.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1722, Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, London: J. Cooke, 1765, p. 241, I had full hold of her Watch, but giving a great Jostle, as if somebody had thrust me against her, and in the Juncture giving the Watch a fair pull, I found it would not come, so I let it go that Moment, and cried out as if I had been killed, that somebody had trod upon my Foot [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The action of a jostling crowd.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1865, Harriet Beecher Stowe (under the pseudonym Christopher Crowfield), The Chimney-Corner, Boston: Ticknor & Field, 1868, Chapter 12, p. 291, For years to come, the average of lone women will be largely increased; and the demand, always great, for some means by which they many provide for themselves, in the rude jostle of the world, will become more urgent and imperative.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To bump into or brush against while in motion; to push aside.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To move through by pushing and shoving.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To be close to or in physical contact with.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To contend or vie in order to acquire something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • 1917, Rudyard Kipling, “The Children,” poem accompanying the story “The Honours of War” in A Diversity of Creatures, London: Macmillan, pp. 129-130, [...] Our statecraft, our learning Delivered them bound to the Pit and alive to the burning Whither they mirthfully hastened as jostling for honour.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To pick or attempt to pick pockets.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

the act of jostling (forcing your way by pushing)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jostling

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shove

Narrower terms: elbowing

9

verb

Meaning 9

come into rough contact with while moving

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The passengers jostled each other in the overcrowded train

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shove

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: push, force

Narrower terms: elbow, shoulder in

10

verb

Meaning 10

make one's way by jostling, pushing, or shoving

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We had to jostle our way to the front of the platform

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: make, work

History

Etymology

Originally justle (“to have sex with”), formed from Middle English jousten, from the Old French joster (“to joust”), from Latin iuxtā (“next to”), from iungō (“join, connect”), equivalent to joust + -le.

Across languages

Translations

83 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: бутане (butane) — act of jostling
  • Bulgarian: блъскане (blǎskane) — act of jostling
  • Catalan: empenta — act of jostling
  • Czech: šťouchnutí — act of jostling
  • Czech: vražení — act of jostling
  • Czech: strčení — act of jostling
  • French: bousculade — act of jostling
  • German: Drängelei — act of jostling
  • German: Gedrängel — act of jostling
  • Plautdietsch: Bucks — act of jostling
  • Bulgarian: блъсканица (blǎskanica) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Chinese Mandarin: 摩肩接踵 (mójiānjiēzhǒng) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推推搡搡 (tuītui-sǎngsǎng) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Czech: strkanice — action of a jostling crowd
  • French: cohue — action of a jostling crowd
  • German: Gedränge — action of a jostling crowd
  • German: Rempelei — action of a jostling crowd
  • Russian: да́вка (dávka) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Russian: толкотня́ (tolkotnjá) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Russian: су́толока (sútoloka) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Russian: толку́чка (tolkúčka) — action of a jostling crowd
  • Bulgarian: бутам (butam) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Bulgarian: блъскам (blǎskam) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Catalan: empentar — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Catalan: empentejar — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Chinese Mandarin: 擠 /挤 (jǐ) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推搡 (tuīsǎng) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Czech: strkat — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Dutch: omverduwen — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Dutch: bruuskeren — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Finnish: törmätä — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Finnish: tuuppia — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Finnish: töniä — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • French: bousculer — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Georgian: დაჯახება (daǯaxeba) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Georgian: შეჯახება (šeǯaxeba) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • German: drängeln — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Japanese: 押し合う (oshiau) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Māori: tutetute — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Māori: ātute — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Māori: taututetute — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Norman: bostchuler — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Occitan: butassar — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Polish: trącać — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Polish: trącić — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Portuguese: esbarrar — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Russian: пиха́ться (pixátʹsja) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Russian: толка́ться (tolkátʹsja) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Scottish Gaelic: put — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Swedish: knuffa — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Tày: ắm — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Turkish: itelemek — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Ukrainian: штовхатися (štovxatysja) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Ukrainian: зіштовхуватися (zištovxuvatysja) — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Vietnamese: chen — bump into or brush against while in motion
  • Bulgarian: пробивам си път (probivam si pǎt) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Czech: tlačit se — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Dutch: verdringen — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Dutch: drummen — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Finnish: tunkea — move through by pushing and shoving
  • French: se bousculer — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Georgian: ხელის კვრა (xelis ḳvra) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Georgian: ბიძგება (biʒgeba) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Georgian: გაძრომა (gaʒroma) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • German: drängeln — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Ingrian: tuppia — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Italian: spingere — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Italian: farsi largo — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Polish: rozpychać się — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Polish: rozepchać się — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Polish: rozepchnąć się — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Russian: пропи́хиваться (propíxivatʹsja) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Russian: прота́лкиваться (protálkivatʹsja) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Scottish Gaelic: uillnich — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Spanish: codear — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Spanish: empujar — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Turkish: itelemek — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Ukrainian: проштовхуватися (proštovxuvatysja) — move through by pushing and shoving
  • Czech: tlačit se — be close to or in physical contact with
  • Czech: tahat se — contend or vie in order to acquire something
  • Czech: drát se — contend or vie in order to acquire something
  • Czech: prát se — contend or vie in order to acquire something
  • Finnish: tavoitella — contend or vie in order to acquire something