Standard Lemma guide

thrust

noun · verb · 23 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.

  • /θɹʌst/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northern-England: /θɹʊst/
  • rhymes with -ʌst
  • CMU ARPABET: TH R AH1 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An attack made by moving the sword parallel to its length and landing with the point.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: fencing, government, hobbies, lifestyle, martial-arts, military, politics, sports, war

Examples

  • Pierre was a master swordsman, and could parry the thrusts of lesser men with barely a thought.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A push, stab, or lunge forward.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The cutpurse tried to knock her satchel from her hands, but she avoided his thrust and yelled, "Thief!"

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: break, dart, grab

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The force generated by propulsion, as in a jet engine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Spacecraft are engineering marvels, designed to resist the thrust of liftoff, as well as the reverse pressure of the void.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lift, push

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The primary effort; the goal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable

Examples

  • Ostensibly, the class was about public health in general, but the main thrust was really sex education.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: focus, gist, point

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To make advance with force.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • We thrust at the enemy with our forces.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: attack, charge, rush

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To force something upon someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • I asked her not to thrust the responsibility on me.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: compel, charge, force

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To push out or extend rapidly or powerfully.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He thrust his arm into the icy stream and grabbed a wriggling fish, astounding the observers.
  • Towers thrusting skyward.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dart, reach, stab

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To push or drive with force; to shove.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to thrust anything with the hand or foot, or with an instrument

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: press, thring, thrutch

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To enter by pushing; to squeeze in.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: break in, force in

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To stab; to pierce; usually with through.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jab, run through, chef, chib, ching, chive, enthrill, foin, gore, gride, job, juke, kebab, knifecrime, lancinate, pigstick, pink, poach, shank, shiv, spear, speet, splash, stab, stick, stob, stog, thrust, yerk

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

the act of applying force to propel something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • after reaching the desired velocity the drive is cut off

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: drive, driving force

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: propulsion, actuation

Narrower terms: firewall, impulse, impulsion, impetus

12

noun

Meaning 12

a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he warned me with a jab with his finger
  • he made a thrusting motion with his fist

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jab, jabbing, poke, poking, thrusting

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gesture

13

noun

Meaning 13

a strong blow with a knife or other sharp pointed instrument

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • one strong stab to the heart killed him

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stab, knife thrust

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: blow

Narrower terms: lunge, straight thrust, passado, remise

14

noun

Meaning 14

verbal criticism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he enlivened his editorials with barbed thrusts at politicians

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: criticism, unfavorable judgment

15

noun

Meaning 15

the force used in pushing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the push of the water on the walls of the tank
  • the thrust of the jet engines

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: push

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: force

16

verb

Meaning 16

impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She forced her diet fads on him

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: force

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: compel, oblige, obligate

Narrower terms: stick, sting

17

verb

Meaning 17

penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pierce

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: penetrate, perforate

Narrower terms: stick, peg, center punch, transfix, impale, empale, spike, horn, tusk, gore, lance

18

verb

Meaning 18

place or put with great energy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She threw the blanket around the child
  • thrust the money in the hands of the beggar

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: throw

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put, set, place, pose, position, lay

Narrower terms: pop

19

verb

Meaning 19

push forcefully

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He thrust his chin forward

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: push, force

Narrower terms: jab, prod, stab, poke, dig, shoulder, boost, force, drive, ram, ram down, pound, punch

20

verb

Meaning 20

make a thrusting forward movement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lunge, hurl, hurtle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move

Narrower terms: dart, riposte

21

verb

Meaning 21

press or force

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Stuff money into an envelope
  • She thrust the letter into his hand

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stuff, shove, squeeze

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: push, force

22

verb

Meaning 22

push upward

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The front of the trains that had collided head-on thrust up into the air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: push up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stick out, protrude, jut out, jut, project

23

verb

Meaning 23

force (molten rock) into pre-existing rock

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English þrusten, from Old Norse þrysta, from Proto-Germanic *þrustijaną, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *trewd-.

Across languages

Translations

182 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мушкане (muškane) — an attack with a sword
  • Bulgarian: пронизване (pronizvane) — an attack with a sword
  • Catalan: estocada — an attack with a sword
  • Catalan: burxada — an attack with a sword
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刺击 — an attack with a sword
  • Czech: výpad — an attack with a sword
  • Danish: stød — an attack with a sword
  • Dutch: steek — an attack with a sword
  • Finnish: pisto — an attack with a sword
  • French: estocade — an attack with a sword
  • German: Stoß — an attack with a sword
  • Hebrew: אִבְחָה (ivẖá) — an attack with a sword
  • Italian: stoccata — an attack with a sword
  • Japanese: 突き (tsuki) — an attack with a sword
  • Portuguese: estocada — an attack with a sword
  • Russian: уко́л (ukól) — an attack with a sword
  • Spanish: estocada — an attack with a sword
  • Swedish: stöt — an attack with a sword
  • Swedish: knuff — an attack with a sword
  • Bulgarian: нападение (napadenie) — a lunge forward
  • Bulgarian: устрем (ustrem) — a lunge forward
  • Catalan: empenta — a lunge forward
  • Danish: anfald — a lunge forward
  • Danish: fremstød — a lunge forward
  • Dutch: stoot — a lunge forward
  • Dutch: steek — a lunge forward
  • Esperanto: puŝi — a lunge forward
  • Finnish: syöksy — a lunge forward
  • Galician: pulo — a lunge forward
  • German: Stoß — a lunge forward
  • German: Stich — a lunge forward
  • German: Vorstoß — a lunge forward
  • Indonesian: dorongan — a lunge forward
  • Japanese: 突き (tsuki) — a lunge forward
  • Khmer: ដំណើរហក់ (dɑm naəhɑk) — a lunge forward
  • Malay: tujahan — a lunge forward
  • Māori: pūmuka — a lunge forward
  • Portuguese: impulso — a lunge forward
  • Portuguese: ímpeto — a lunge forward
  • Portuguese: ataque — a lunge forward
  • Russian: вы́пад (výpad) — a lunge forward
  • Russian: уда́р (udár) — a lunge forward
  • Scottish Gaelic: sparradh — a lunge forward
  • Spanish: empuje — a lunge forward
  • Spanish: envión — a lunge forward
  • Swedish: anfall — a lunge forward
  • Swedish: framstöt — a lunge forward
  • Tagalog: sikad — a lunge forward
  • Azerbaijani: hərəkət qüvvəsi — force due to propulsion
  • Azerbaijani: dartıcı qüvvə — force due to propulsion
  • Azerbaijani: dartı qüvvəsi — force due to propulsion
  • Bulgarian: тяга (tjaga) — force due to propulsion
  • Catalan: empenta — force due to propulsion
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推力 (tuīlì) — force due to propulsion
  • Czech: tah — force due to propulsion
  • Dutch: druk — force due to propulsion
  • Dutch: stuwkracht — force due to propulsion
  • Finnish: työntövoima — force due to propulsion
  • French: poussée — force due to propulsion
  • German: Schub — force due to propulsion
  • German: Schubkraft — force due to propulsion
  • German: Druck — force due to propulsion
  • German: Druckkraft — force due to propulsion
  • Hindi: प्रणोद (praṇod) — force due to propulsion
  • Indonesian: dorongan — force due to propulsion
  • Italian: spinta — force due to propulsion
  • Malay: tujahan — force due to propulsion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: skyvekraft — force due to propulsion
  • Norwegian Bokmål: thrust — force due to propulsion
  • Portuguese: impulso — force due to propulsion
  • Russian: тя́га (tjága) — force due to propulsion
  • Spanish: empuje — force due to propulsion
  • Spanish: envión — force due to propulsion
  • Swedish: dragkraft — force due to propulsion
  • Tagalog: sikad — force due to propulsion
  • Bulgarian: цел (cel) — (figurative) primary effort
  • Bulgarian: прицел (pricel) — (figurative) primary effort
  • Danish: mål — (figurative) primary effort
  • Finnish: ydin — (figurative) primary effort
  • German: Stoßrichtung — (figurative) primary effort
  • German: Tenor — (figurative) primary effort
  • German: Ziel — (figurative) primary effort
  • German: Zielrichtung — (figurative) primary effort
  • Portuguese: ênfase — (figurative) primary effort
  • Spanish: énfasis — (figurative) primary effort
  • Swedish: syfte — (figurative) primary effort
  • Swedish: mål — (figurative) primary effort
  • Spanish: metedura — a push or stab
  • Spanish: metida — a push or stab
  • Bulgarian: устремявам се (ustremjavam se) — make an advance with force
  • Bulgarian: устремя се (ustremja se) — make an advance with force
  • Chinese Mandarin: 推力 (tuīlì) — make an advance with force
  • Danish: støde — make an advance with force
  • Dutch: vooruitstuwen — make an advance with force
  • Finnish: iskeä — make an advance with force
  • Finnish: sysätä — make an advance with force
  • Finnish: työntyä — make an advance with force
  • French: propulser — make an advance with force
  • German: schieben — make an advance with force
  • German: stoßen — make an advance with force
  • German: entgegenwerfen — make an advance with force
  • German: stürmen — make an advance with force
  • Hungarian: taszít — make an advance with force
  • Japanese: 押す (osu) — make an advance with force
  • Japanese: 突く (tsuku) — make an advance with force
  • Japanese: 刺す (sasu) — make an advance with force
  • Khmer: រុញច្រាន (ruɲ craan) — make an advance with force
  • Korean: 돌격하다 (dolgyeok-hada) — make an advance with force
  • Māori: whakaete — make an advance with force
  • Norwegian: støt — make an advance with force
  • Polish: forsować — make an advance with force
  • Polish: sforsować — make an advance with force
  • Portuguese: empurrar — make an advance with force
  • Romanian: împinge — make an advance with force
  • Romanian: buși — make an advance with force
  • Romanian: împunge — make an advance with force
  • Russian: наступа́ть (nastupátʹ) — make an advance with force
  • Spanish: propulsar — make an advance with force
  • Swedish: knuffa — make an advance with force
  • Swedish: stöta — make an advance with force
  • Bulgarian: натрапвам (natrapvam) — force something upon someone
  • Danish: påtvinge — force something upon someone
  • Dutch: opdringen — force something upon someone
  • Finnish: sysätä — force something upon someone
  • Finnish: työntää — force something upon someone
  • German: aufdrängen — force something upon someone
  • German: drängen — force something upon someone
  • Latin: trūdō — force something upon someone
  • Māori: whātoro — force something upon someone
  • Māori: whakatoro — force something upon someone
  • Russian: навя́зывать (navjázyvatʹ) — force something upon someone
  • Spanish: forzar — force something upon someone
  • Bulgarian: забивам (zabivam) — push or drive something with force
  • Bulgarian: забия (zabija) — push or drive something with force
  • Bulgarian: пронизвам (pronizvam) — push or drive something with force
  • Bulgarian: пронижа (proniža) — push or drive something with force
  • Danish: skubbe — push or drive something with force
  • Icelandic: þrýsta — push or drive something with force
  • Latin: trūdō — push or drive something with force
  • Middle English: launcen — push or drive something with force
  • Portuguese: socar — push or drive something with force
  • Spanish: empeller — push or drive something with force
  • Spanish: empellar — push or drive something with force
  • Spanish: empentar — push or drive something with force
  • Spanish: empujar — push or drive something with force
  • Spanish: cernear — push or drive something with force
  • Ottoman Turkish: صوقمق (sokmak) — push or drive something with force
  • Bulgarian: пъхам (pǎham) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Bulgarian: пъхна (pǎhna) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Bulgarian: мушкам (muškam) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Bulgarian: мушна (mušna) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Danish: lange ud — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Fijian: sua — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Finnish: sysätä — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Finnish: työntää — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • German: stoßen — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • German: stechen — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • German: stecken — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • German: schieben — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Ancient Greek: ὠθέω (ōthéō) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Japanese: 押す (osu) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Japanese: 突く (tsuku) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Japanese: 刺す (sasu) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Khmer: រុញច្រាន (ruɲ craan) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Māori: torohaki — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Māori: kōkō — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Māori: pūmuka — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Māori: whakatoro — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Middle English: werpen — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Portuguese: esticar — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Portuguese: estender — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Rarotongan: kō — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Russian: пиха́ть (pixátʹ) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Russian: пихну́ть (pixnútʹ) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Russian: толка́ть (tolkátʹ) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Russian: толкну́ть (tolknútʹ) — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Scottish Gaelic: stob — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Scottish Gaelic: buail — push out or extend rapidly or powerfully
  • Spanish: asestar — stab
  • Turkish: saplamak — stab
  • Turkish: sançmak — stab
  • Ottoman Turkish: صاپلامق (saplamak) — stab
Real reading context

thrust in complete knowledge articles