jostle
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bump, push, shove, brush against, or elbow roughly or rudely.
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to drive or force by, or as if by, pushing or shoving.
The crowd jostled him into the subway.
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to exist in close contact or proximity with.
The three families jostle each other in the small house.
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to contend with.
rival gangs continually jostling each other.
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to unsettle; disturb.
The thought jostled her complacency.
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Slang. to pick the pocket of.
verb (used without object)
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to bump or brush against someone or something, as in passing or in a crowd; push or shove (often followed by with, for, oragainst ).
He jostled for position.
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to exist in close contact or proximity with someone or something.
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to compete; contend.
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Slang. to pick pockets.
noun
verb
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to bump or push (someone) roughly
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to come or bring into contact
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to force (one's way) by pushing
noun
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the act of jostling
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a rough bump or push
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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jostlesimple
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jostlessimple
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have jostledperfect
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has jostledperfect
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am jostlingprogressive
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are jostlingprogressive
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is jostlingprogressive
-
have been jostlingperfect progressive
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has been jostlingperfect progressive
Past
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jostledsimple
-
had jostledperfect
-
was jostlingprogressive
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were jostlingprogressive
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had been jostlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of jostle
First recorded in 1350–1400; variant (in Middle English, variant spelling) of justle, equivalent to just(en) “to joust” + -le; see origin at joust
Explanation
The verb jostle describes being bumped and pushed in a horde of people — or doing the bumping, like those at a concert who jostle their way to the front, and the people jostled out of their spots when the newcomers arrive. Jostle describes both what someone does, like an impatient person who jostles other people out of his way on a crowded bus or subway car, and what happens to those victims: They may have their bags and cups of hot coffee jostled out of their hands by the impatient one's pushing and shoving. When you say the word jostle remember to shove the t out of the way because it's silent: "JOSS-ul."
Vocabulary lists containing jostle
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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List 4
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 8
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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.
See Examples For:
This year, companies will also jostle to sell space, analysts say, with roomy SUVs' new growth area targeting customers prioritising seating and comfort.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
The meeting is a fraught and delicate diplomatic process as countries jostle to protect their national interests, while also attempting to address the issue of climate change.
From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2025
They don’t jostle with airport crowds or idle unnecessarily in traffic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
Ronan, better known as a painter in New York’s contemporary art world, chronicles a collection of still lives who jostle themselves out of an emotional stupor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2025
Kids jostle to get a seat next to their partners.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Oil trade is likely to be choppy Friday, as the increased flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz jostles with concerns around the terms of peace, Brooks adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Fatima jostles to get free food and clothing provided by the private Dubai-based charity Waqf al-Farah, which organised the convoy.
From BBC ● May 15, 2025
Her biggest backer remains India, which has invested in several infrastructure projects as it jostles for influence against rival China in the region.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2024
When the doorbell rings, Oliver wipes his face and jostles with Jameson to answer.
From Slate ● Apr. 29, 2023
Jude jostles my leg under the table with her foot to get my attention back from the salt shaker I realize I’ve been staring down.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
At the Great Hall of the People, journalists from both sides jostled each other to get a place before the meeting as US and Chinese officials tried to keep order.
From Barron's ● May 14, 2026
That moved Aberg four clear but he was unable to build on that momentum as his rivals jostled for position behind him.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026
The city's main market bustled on Friday afternoon as shoppers jostled through heavy traffic.
From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026
As the Popemobile made its way from the port to the waterfront, people jostled against metal barricades to get a better vantage point for smartphone videos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 2, 2025
Several rabbits were jostled and turned angrily on him, but he took no notice.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Gatecrashing the duopoly of Roger Federer and Nadal, as well as jostling with Andy Murray, Juan Martin del Potro and Stan Wawrinka in a talented generation, makes Djokovic's early haul even more impressive.
From BBC ● May 17, 2026
AI usage in China -- the world's second-largest economy which is jostling with the US for an edge in the AI race -- was 16.4 percent, the report said.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
That Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei seem to hate each other for real is an additional wrinkle in the companies’ jostling for people’s hearts and minds.
From Slate ● Apr. 14, 2026
The companies are jostling to dominate a passenger air-taxi market that some Wall Street analysts say could reach $1 trillion by 2040.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026
With almost a dozen immortal emperors jostling for position, high-level Inka society was characterized by ramose political intrigue of a scale that would have delighted the Medici.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
