jolt
Americanverb (used with object)
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to jar, shake, or cause to move by or as if by a sudden rough thrust; shake up roughly.
The bus jolted its passengers as it went down the rocky road.
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to knock sharply so as to dislodge.
He jolted the nail free with a stone.
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to stun with a blow, especially in boxing.
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to shock emotionally or psychologically.
His sudden death jolted us all.
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to bring to a desired state sharply or abruptly.
to jolt a person into awareness.
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to make active or alert, as by using an abrupt, sharp, or rough manner.
to jolt someone's memory.
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to interfere with or intrude upon, especially in a rough or crude manner; interrupt disturbingly.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a jolting shock, movement, or blow.
The automobile gave a sudden jolt.
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an emotional or psychological shock.
The news of his arrest gave me quite a jolt.
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something that causes such a shock.
The news was a jolt to me.
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a sudden, unexpected rejection or defeat.
Their policy got a rude jolt from the widespread opposition.
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Slang. a prison sentence.
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Slang. an injection of a narcotic.
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a bracing dose of something.
a jolt of whiskey; a jolt of fresh air.
verb
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to bump against with a jarring blow; jostle
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to move in a jolting manner
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to surprise or shock
noun
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a sudden jar or blow
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an emotional shock
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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joltsimple
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joltssimple
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have joltedperfect
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has joltedperfect
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am joltingprogressive
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are joltingprogressive
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is joltingprogressive
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have been joltingperfect progressive
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has been joltingperfect progressive
Past
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joltedsimple
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had joltedperfect
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was joltingprogressive
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were joltingprogressive
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had been joltingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jolt
1590–1600; blend of jot to jolt and joll to bump, both now dial.
Explanation
To jolt someone is to disturb them or make them jump. A jolt is sudden and jarring. Jolting disturbs or surprises people. If you surprise someone and they jump up a little, you jolted them. Alarm clocks jolt people out of sleep. A sudden crack of thunder could provide a jolt. The unexpected barking of a dog could jolt you. Jolting is quick and not very pleasant. A jolt jars and stuns you. Some jolts are more serious: crashing your car jolts the people in the car violently.
Vocabulary lists containing jolt
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Holes
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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.
When our main character starts lowering her defenses, however, that’s when she’s hit by a jolt that sends her spiraling.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
And it would have been quite a jolt.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
As nurses who have evidently seen this situation many times try to revive him, Reed’s seemingly placid song turns with a jolt to a stern warning: “You’re gonna reap just what you sow.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Financial markets are anticipating at least two hikes this year from the European Central Bank to offset the inflationary jolt spurred by the Iran war.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
When he finally found it, he felt such a jolt of surprise that he cried out as if the paper had burned him.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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.
