pushover

American  

[poosh-oh-ver] / ˈpʊʃˌoʊ vər /

noun

1. Informal. anything done easily.

2. Informal. an easily defeated person or team.

3. Informal. a person who is easily persuaded, influenced, or seduced.

4. Rocketry. a displacement in a horizontal direction of the trajectory of a missile or rocket.

5. Aeronautics. push-down.

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pushover British  

/ ˈpʊʃˌəʊvə /

noun

1. something that is easily achieved or accomplished

2. a person, team, etc, that is easily taken advantage of or defeated

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Etymology

Origin of pushover

1905–10, noun use of verb phrase push over

Explanation

A pushover is a person who's easy to fool or influence. A substitute teacher who's a pushover is easily convinced that the class usually spends an hour watching music videos. If you're a pushover, you find it hard to deny anyone what they ask for. If your mom's a pushover, it means it's a breeze to get her to say yes when you ask for something. A babysitter who's a pushover will let the kids stay up way past their bedtime. If you think about it, the word makes sense: if you can push someone over easily, then that person can't stand up against you. Around 1900, pushover meant "an easy job or task," and by 1922 it also referred to people.

Example Sentences

But Martin made clear to Truman that he wouldn’t be a pushover.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

“I asked my wife to take it down, but for several days, she refused,” insists Alito—who is no pushover on the bench.

From Slate • May 29, 2024

Mr Xi will be friendly - he knows that China needs the US - but he will also show he is no pushover.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2024

Garner could be warm and friendly, yet he was anything but a pushover.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2024

“A Swanburne girl may forgive as she chooses, but she is no pushover, either,” she told herself, and felt rather pleased about it, too.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• cinch
• piece of cake
• sucker