Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense jostles, present participle jostling, past tense, past participle jostled
1. verb
If people jostle you, they bump against you or push you in a way that annoys you, usually because you are in a crowd and they are trying to get past you.
You get 2,000 people jostling each other and bumping into furniture. [VERB noun]
We spent an hour jostling with the crowds as we did our shopping. [VERB preposition/adverb]
She was cheered and clapped by tourists who jostled to see her. [VERB to-infinitive]
[Also VERB noun preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: push, press, crowd [informal], shake More Synonyms of jostle
2. verb
If people or things are jostling for something such as attention or a reward, they are competing with other people or things in order to get it.
...the contenders who have been jostling for the top job. [VERB + for]
There is a wide spread of stories jostling for coverage on today's front pages. [VERBfor noun]
Synonyms: compete, fight, struggle, contest More Synonyms of jostle
jostle in British English
(ˈdʒɒsəl)
verb
1.
to bump or push (someone) roughly
2.
to come or bring into contact
3.
to force (one's way) by pushing
noun
4.
the act of jostling
5.
a rough bump or push
Derived forms
jostlement (ˈjostlement)
noun
jostler (ˈjostler)
noun
Word origin
C14: see joust
jostle in American English
(ˈdʒɑsəl)
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈjostled or ˈjostling
1.
to bump or push, as in a crowd; elbow or shove roughly
2.
to push (one's way) by shoving or bumping
3.
to come or bring into close contact
4.
to contend (with someone for something)
noun
5.
the act of jostling; rough bump or shove
Derived forms
jostler (ˈjostler)
noun
Word origin
earlier justle, freq. < ME justen: see joust
Examples of 'jostle' in a sentence
jostle
In our world of loud images, all jostling for attention, his bleached pictures seem reticent as ghosts.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Formal gardens and historic buildings jostle for attention with woodland.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There was a jostling crowd of things to like here.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Huge white tents jostle for space with music stages.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There are a lot of people jostling for position and clubs are flexing their muscles.
The Sun (2007)
When sprinters are jostling for position races are won and lost in a split second.
Frankie Dettori with Jonathan Powell FRANKIE: The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori (2004)
People were jostling past and between vehicles.
Aldiss, Brian Somewhere East of Life (1994)
There is a decent crop of centres jostling for the positions but none is convincing.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
People literally jostled for viewing positions and smokers polluted the atmosphere.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Other nations are jostling for space.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Apparently, this led to be a bit of pushing and jostling.
The Sun (2015)
No more jostling to get the barman's attention.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But amid the jostling crowds of fans scrambling for tickets, the atmosphere was tinged with sadness.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
At one point, the jostling crowd grew so large the porch floor caved in.
Christianity Today (2000)
A melee of players pushed and jostled in front of the main stand.
The Sun (2007)
I continued to push and jostle for another few stops.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It would be bumped and jostled by constant compromises, rather than sticking to policies that overall make sense.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
No.) all jostle for attention.
The Sun (2010)
RIGHT now there's any number of impossibly young bands jostling for our attention.
The Sun (2007)
In other languages
jostle
British English: jostle VERB
If people jostle you, they bump against you, usually because you are in a crowd and they are trying to get past you.
You get 2,000 people jostling each other and bumping into furniture.
American English: jostle
Brazilian Portuguese: acotovelar
Chinese: 推挤
European Spanish: empujar
French: bousculer
German: anrempeln
Italian: spintonare
Japanese: 押しのける
Korean: 떠밀다
European Portuguese: acotovelar
Latin American Spanish: empujar
1 (verb)
Definition
to bump or push roughly
We spent an hour jostling with the crowds as we did our shopping.
Synonyms
push
They pushed him into the car.
press
He pressed his back against the door.
crowd (informal)
It had been a tense, restless day with people crowding her all the time.
shake
squeeze
Somehow they managed to squeeze into the tight space.
thrust
They thrust him into the back of a jeep.
butt
The male butted me.
elbow
They elbowed me out of the way.
bump
We left the road again and bumped over the mountainside.
scramble
More than a million fans are expected to scramble for tickets.
shove
He shoved her out of the way.
jog
Avoid jogging the camera.
jolt
The train jolted into motion.
throng
They throng the beaches in July and August.
hustle
The guards hustled Harry out of the car.
joggle
2 (verb)
Definition
to compete with someone
the contenders who have been jostling for the top job
Synonyms
compete
The stores will inevitably end up competing with each other for increased market shares.
fight
He had to fight hard for his place in the team.
struggle
The shopkeeper struggled with the intruder for some time before the intruder ran off.
contest
Your former employer has to reply within 14 days in order to contest the case.
contend
The two main groups contended for power.
strive
He strives hard to keep himself very fit.
vie
The two candidates are vying for the support of the New York voters.
be in the running
challenge
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bump
Definition
to travel or proceed in jerks and jolts
We left the road again and bumped over the mountainside.
Synonyms
jerk,
shake,
bounce,
rattle,
jar,
jog,
lurch,
jolt,
jostle,
jounce
in the sense of butt
Definition
to strike (something or someone) with the head or horns
The male butted me.
Synonyms
knock,
push,
bump,
punch,
buck,
thrust,
ram,
shove,
poke,
buffet,
prod,
jab,
bunt
in the sense of contend
Definition
to compete or fight
The two main groups contended for power.
Synonyms
compete,
fight,
struggle,
clash,
contest,
strive,
emulate,
vie,
grapple,
jostle,
skirmish,
dispute
Nearby words of
jostle
jollity
jolly
jolt
jostle
jot
jotter
journal
Synonyms of 'jostle'
jostle
Explore 'jostle' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of contest
Definition
to dispute
Your former employer has to reply within 14 days in order to contest the case.
Synonyms
oppose,
question,
challenge,
argue,
debate,
dispute,
object to,
litigate,
call in or into question
in the sense of crowd
Definition
to make (someone) uncomfortable by coming too close
It had been a tense, restless day with people crowding her all the time.
Synonyms
jostle,
batter,
butt,
push,
elbow,
shove
in the sense of elbow
Definition
to push with one's elbow or elbows
They elbowed me out of the way.
Synonyms
push,
force,
crowd (informal),
shoulder,
knock,
bump,
shove,
nudge,
jostle,
hustle
in the sense of fight
He had to fight hard for his place in the team.
Synonyms
strive,
battle,
push,
struggle,
contend
in the sense of hustle
Definition
to make (someone) move by pushing or jostling them
The guards hustled Harry out of the car.
Synonyms
jostle,
force,
push,
crowd (informal),
rush,
hurry,
thrust,
elbow,
shove,
jog,
bustle,
impel
in the sense of jog
Definition
to nudge slightly
Avoid jogging the camera.
Synonyms
nudge,
push,
shake,
prod
in the sense of jolt
Definition
to bump against (someone or something) with a sudden violent movement
The train jolted into motion.
Synonyms
jerk,
push,
shake,
knock,
jar,
shove,
jog,
jostle
in the sense of press
Definition
to crowd
He pressed his back against the door.
Synonyms
push,
squeeze,
jam,
thrust,
ram,
wedge,
shove
in the sense of scramble
Definition
to compete with others in a rough and undignified way
More than a million fans are expected to scramble for tickets.
Synonyms
strive,
rush,
contend,
vie,
run,
push,
hasten,
jostle,
jockey for position,
make haste
in the sense of shove
Definition
to push (one's way) roughly
He shoved her out of the way.
Synonyms
push,
shoulder,
thrust,
elbow,
drive,
press,
crowd (informal),
propel,
jostle,
impel
Additional synonyms
in the sense of squeeze
Definition
to push (oneself or a thing) into a confined space
Somehow they managed to squeeze into the tight space.
Synonyms
cram,
press,
crowd,
force,
stuff,
pack,
jam,
thrust,
ram,
wedge,
jostle
in the sense of strive
Definition
to make a great effort
He strives hard to keep himself very fit.
Synonyms
try,
labour,
struggle,
fight,
attempt,
compete,
strain,
contend,
endeavour,
go for it (informal),
try hard,
toil,
make every effort,
go all out (informal),
bend over backwards (informal),
do your best,
go for broke (slang),
leave no stone unturned,
bust a gut (informal),
do all you can,
give it your best shot (informal),
jump through hoops (informal),
break your neck (informal),
exert yourself,
make an all-out effort (informal),
knock yourself out (informal),
do your utmost,
do your damnedest (informal),
give it your all (informal),
rupture yourself (informal)
in the sense of struggle
Definition
to fight with someone, often for possession of something
The shopkeeper struggled with the intruder for some time before the intruder ran off.
Synonyms
fight,
battle,
wrestle,
grapple,
compete,
contend,
scuffle,
lock horns
in the sense of throng
Definition
to gather in or fill (a place) in large numbers
They throng the beaches in July and August.
Synonyms
pack,
fill,
crowd,
press,
jam
in the sense of thrust
Definition
to push (someone or something) with force
They thrust him into the back of a jeep.
Synonyms
push,
force,
shove,
drive,
press,
plunge,
jam,
butt,
ram,
poke,
propel,
prod,
impel
in the sense of vie
Definition
to compete (with someone)
The two candidates are vying for the support of the New York voters.