thrust

American  

[thruhst] / θrʌst /

verb (used with object)

• thrusts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• thrust,
  past participle,  past
• thrusting
  present participle

1. to push forcibly; shove; put or drive with force.

   He thrust his way through the crowd. She thrust a dagger into his back.

2. to put boldly forth or impose acceptance of.

   to thrust oneself into a conversation between others; to thrust a dollar into the waiter's hand.

3. to extend; present.

   He thrust his fist in front of my face.

4. Archaic. to stab or pierce, as with a sword.

   She thrust his back with a dagger.

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verb (used without object)

• thrusts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• thrust,
  past participle,  past
• thrusting
  present participle

1. to push against something.

2. to push or force one's way, as against obstacles or through a crowd.

3. to make a thrust, lunge, or stab at something.

noun

• thrusts
  plural

1. an act or instance of thrusting; a forcible push or shove; lunge or stab.

2. a lunge or stab, as with a sword.

3. Mechanics. a linear reactive force exerted by a propeller, propulsive gases, etc., to propel a ship, aircraft, etc.

4. Geology. a compressive strain in the crust of the earth that, in its most characteristic development, produces reverse or thrust faults.

5. the main point, purpose, or essence.

   The thrust of his speech was an urgent appeal for votes.

6. Machinery. a pushing force or pressure exerted by a thing or a part against a contiguous one.

7. Architecture. the downward and outward force exerted by an arch on each side.

8. an organized military attack; assault; offensive.

thrust British  

/ θrʌst /

verb

1. (tr) to push (someone or something) with force or sudden strength

   she thrust him away

   she thrust it into the fire

2. (tr) to force or impose upon (someone) or into (some condition or situation)

   they thrust extra responsibilities upon her

   she was thrust into the limelight

3. to pierce; stab

4. (intr; usually foll by through or into) to force a passage or entrance

5. (intr) to push forwards, upwards, or outwards

6. to make a stab or lunge at (a person or thing)

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noun

1. a forceful drive, push, stab, or lunge

2. a force, esp one that produces motion

3. 1. a propulsive force produced by the fluid pressure or the change of momentum of the fluid in a jet engine, rocket engine, etc

   2. a similar force produced by a propeller

4. a pressure that is exerted continuously by one part of an object, structure, etc, against another, esp the axial force by or on a shaft

5. geology

   1. the compressive force in the earth's crust that produces recumbent folds and thrust or reverse faults

   2. See thrust fault

6. civil engineering a force exerted in a downwards and outwards direction, as by an arch or rafter, or the horizontal force exerted by retained earth

7. force, impetus, or drive

   a man with thrust and energy

8. the essential or most forceful part

   the thrust of the argument

thrust Scientific  

/ thrŭst /

1. The force that propels an object in a given direction, especially when generated by the object itself, as by an engine or rocket.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterthrust
  noun
• prethrust
  noun
• unthrust
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• thrusts
  plural

Participles

• thrusting
  present
• thrust
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• thrust
  simple
• thrusts
  simple
• have thrust
  perfect
• has thrust
  perfect
• am thrusting
  progressive
• are thrusting
  progressive
• is thrusting
  progressive
• have been thrusting
  perfect progressive
• has been thrusting
  perfect progressive

Past

• thrust
  simple
• had thrust
  perfect
• was thrusting
  progressive
• were thrusting
  progressive
• had been thrusting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will thrust
  simple
• will have thrust
  perfect
• will be thrusting
  progressive
• will have been thrusting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of thrust

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English thrusten, thrysten (verb), from Old Norse thrȳsta “to force, press”

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Explanation

To thrust is to push forward quickly and forcibly, like the way a pirate would plunge or thrust a sword into his enemy. Thrust is often used when you're talking about knives or swords or jabbing someone with something. In fact, a thrust refers to a sharp blow or stab. Violence aside, thrust can be any kind of forceful push or driving force. Aggressive street vendors thrust their wares on you and young movie stars are thrust into the limelight at an early age — which may be disconcerting, but certainly is not as frightening a knife thrust in your direction.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thrust thrusts thrusting

Whoever wins city hall will be thrust onto a global stage, as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

The Caribbean tour has again thrust King Charles into the difficult debates over the UK's colonial legacy in the region.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

Neither state proposes an alternative to the Interior Department’s allocation; the thrust of their case is that the Interior Department hasn’t followed the law in imposing its own measures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026

Even as the bird raises its wings during the upward portion of each wingbeat, it continues to generate thrust, the force that helps propel it forward.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026

As long as she kept busy, she could thrust away thoughts of her real predicament.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

This is the brilliant way writer-director Jesse Eisenberg thrusts us into his third — and best — feature, “The Debut,” screening at this year’s New York Film Festival and premiering in theaters December 11.

From Salon ● Oct. 12, 2026

This breakup thrusts her into a public battle for her emotional security, and that would be the case regardless of whether she made it public.

From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2026

Really, I think Luhrmann is praying that in a thousand years, some alien civilization will discover this footage and build a whole religion around the thrall Elvis’ hip thrusts had over a crowd.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026

Their overlapping limbs, seen from different angles, form a syncopated band of unexpected shapes that thrusts Christ’s much larger, confrontational torso toward us, emphasizing his otherworldliness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

But now he says, “All right,” and thrusts his roller-tip pen across the desk at me almost defiantly, as if taking a dare.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood

The reports of the alleged affair and images published by Daily Mail began circulating in late November 2022, thrusting the journalists and their loved ones into a media frenzy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

"The spacecraft is in great shape, and we're on schedule to resume sustained thrusting with the solar-electric propulsion system later this fall."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

That milestone was also recently hit by Samsung Electronics and US chipmaker Micron -- with AI thrusting the three memory chip firms into a previously exclusive club of around a dozen companies, nearly all American.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Then in March this year, a YouTuber who goes by the name Reckless Ben got involved - thrusting this local drama into the spotlight.

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

Nina tilted her head back to gaze at the high black towers of the fortress known as Hellgate, a dark fist of stone thrusting up from the sea.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

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Related Words

• dig
• elbow
• heave
• interject
• jab
• lob
• lunge
• nudge
• plunge
• poke
• propel
• punch
• shove
• sink
• sling
• smack
• stab
• stick

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