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Synonyms

jugular

American  
[juhg-yuh-ler, joo-gyuh-] / ˈdʒʌg yə lər, ˈdʒu gyə- /

adjective

  1. Anatomy.

    1. of or relating to the throat or neck.

    2. noting or pertaining to any of certain large veins of the neck, especially one external jugular vein collecting blood from the superficial parts of the head or one internal jugular vein collecting blood from within the skull.

  2. (of a fish) having the pelvic fins at the throat, before the pectoral fins.

noun

  1. Anatomy. a jugular vein.

idioms

  1. go for the jugular, to attack a vital and vulnerable trait, feature, element, etc., in an attempt to overcome somebody or something swiftly and totally.

    The defense attorney went right for the jugular by attempting to destroy the witness's credibility.
jugular British  
/ ˈdʒʌɡjʊlə /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or situated near the throat or neck

  2. of, having, or denoting pelvic fins situated in front of the pectoral fins

    a jugular fish
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. short for jugular vein

  2. to make a savage and destructive attack on an enemy's weakest point

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
jugular More Idioms  

  1. see go for, def. 4.

Other Word Forms

  • interjugular adjective
  • postjugular adjective
  • subjugular adjective

Etymology

Origin of jugular

1590–1600; < Late Latin jugulāris, equivalent to Latin jugul ( um ) throat ( jugulate ) + -āris -ar 1

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.

Normal foreign policy considerations regarding conflict with a country of 90 million people situated astride the world’s oil jugular do not come into play.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

“It’s really going for the jugular, and in a major way,” said Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, a Washington think tank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

At 21-0 up, they were camped on the Argentina line, looking to go for the jugular.

From BBC • Nov. 16, 2025

But Lee has been delivering these jugular jabs the whole day, talking about the failed businesses.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 13, 2024

Just over the external jugular vein there were two punctures, not large, but not wholesome-looking.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

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.