jog
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to move or shake with a push or jerk.
The horseman jogged the reins lightly.
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to cause to function with a jolt for a moment or in a series of disconnected motions.
He jogged the motor and started the machine.
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to push slightly, as to arouse the attention; nudge.
She jogged his elbow when she wanted to be introduced to one of his friends.
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to stir or jolt into activity or alertness, as by a hint or reminder.
to jog a person's memory.
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to cause (a horse) to go at a steady trot.
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Printing. to align the edges of (a stack of sheets of paper of the same size) by gently tapping.
verb (used without object)
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to run at a leisurely, slow pace, especially as an outdoor exercise.
He jogs two miles every morning to keep in shape.
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to run or ride at a steady trot.
They jogged to the stable.
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to move with a jolt or jerk.
Her briefcase jogged against her leg as she walked.
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to go or travel with a jolting pace or motion.
The clumsy cart jogged down the bumpy road.
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to go in a desultory or humdrum fashion (usually followed by on oralong ).
He just jogged along, getting by however he could.
noun
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a shake; slight push; nudge.
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a steady trot, as of a horse.
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an act, instance, or period of jogging.
to go for a jog before breakfast.
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a jogging pace.
He approached us at a jog.
noun
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an irregularity of line or surface; projection; notch.
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a bend or turn.
a country road full of sudden jogs.
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Theater. a narrow flat placed at right angles to another flat to make a corner, used especially in sets representing an interior.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(intr) to run or move slowly or at a jog trot, esp for physical exercise
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(intr; foll by on or along) to continue in a plodding way
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(tr) to jar or nudge slightly; shake lightly
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(tr) to remind; stimulate
please jog my memory
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(tr) printing to even up the edges of (a stack of paper); square up
noun
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the act of jogging
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a slight jar or nudge
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a jogging motion; trot
noun
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a sharp protruding point in a surface; jag
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a sudden change in course or direction
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of jog1
First recorded in 1540–50; origin uncertain; perhaps a blend of jot “to jog” (now dialectal) + shog ( def. )
Origin of jog2
First recorded in 1705–15; variant of jag 1
Explanation
When you jog, you run at a moderate pace, usually to get exercise. If you jog down the street, you'll pass people who are walking and be passed by people who are sprinting. Jog can be a verb, or a noun meaning a slow-paced run: "She moved at a lazy jog around the track, in no hurry to improve her time." A jog is slower than a flat-out run. Yet another way to use the word is to mean "nudge one's memory." A courtroom attorney might hold up a piece of evidence in front of a witness and say, "Perhaps this will jog your memory."
Vocabulary lists containing jog
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Walking was the most common form of leisure exercise, while men were more likely than women to jog or run.
From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026
He was in his 80s but was saying, “I used to be able to jog with more weights.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
It made an unlikely cameo on a London morning jog.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
It was perhaps my slowest jog ever, but Buddy still said, “Way to crush that run!” and marked a milestone: “You’ve just hit 50 miles this year.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026
I wait for this to jog his memory, but he only looks back at Teddy—making sure he’s still in the same place on the bleachers where he was a second ago, I guess.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
