joust
Americannoun
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a combat in which two knights on horseback attempted to unhorse each other with blunted lances.
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this type of combat fought in a highly formalized manner as part of a tournament.
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jousts, a tournament.
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a personal competition or struggle.
verb (used without object)
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to contend in a joust or tournament.
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to contend, compete, or struggle.
The candidates will joust in a television debate.
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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joustsimple
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joustssimple
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have joustedperfect
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has joustedperfect
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am joustingprogressive
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are joustingprogressive
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is joustingprogressive
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have been joustingperfect progressive
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has been joustingperfect progressive
Past
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joustedsimple
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had joustedperfect
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was joustingprogressive
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were joustingprogressive
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had been joustingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of joust
1250–1300; (v.) Middle English justen, jousten < Old French juster, joster, jouster to tilt in the lists < Vulgar Latin *juxtāre to approach, clash, derivative of Latin juxtā approaching, bordering; (noun) Middle English juste, jouste < Old French juste, etc., derivative of juster
Explanation
To joust is to fight against someone, usually using lances, on horseback. Such a contest is called a joust. If you've ever seen a movie or TV show about medieval times, you might have seen two knights jousting. This is a sport that takes place on horseback and involves lances, which are long like spears. The knights charge each other and try to hit each other with the lances and knock each other off the horse. This type of contest — which usually involves a tournament — is called a joust. Jousting is as old as the Middle Ages.
Vocabulary lists containing joust
Medieval Europe - Introductory
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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.
Many MPs believe that Badenoch has for some months now been an impressive combatant at Prime Minister's Questions, her weekly joust with the prime minister.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
By watching the joust, astronomers got to see what happens when a galaxy finds itself on the wrong end of a quasar.
From Space Scoop • May 21, 2025
Pimblett responded by calling Ferguson a "sausage", before the pair continued to verbally joust.
From BBC • Dec. 15, 2023
As such, seeing him host Oliver on Tuesday was a bit of magic Colbert's joust with Monday guest, Neil deGrasse Tyson couldn't quite match.
From Salon • Oct. 9, 2023
"They say that knights will come from all over the realm to joust and feast in honor of your appointment as Hand of the King."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
