pushy
Americanadjective
adjective
-
offensively assertive or forceful
-
aggressively or ruthlessly ambitious
Usage
What does pushy mean? Pushy is used to describe a person who is considered too aggressive, forceful, or assertive. People described as pushy are typically those who try to get others to do what they want or agree with them by demanding or just continuing to ask. In other words, a pushy person is someone who pushes other people to do things. A salesperson who follows you around and pressures you to buy can be called pushy. A friend who insists on getting their way can be called pushy. Pushy is always used in a negative way. Calling someone pushy implies that their behavior annoys or offends you due to being overly aggressive. The adverb form of pushy is pushily, as in The trainer very pushily insisted that I upgrade to the platinum gym membership. Much less commonly, pushy can be used in situations that involve literal pushing or shoving, as in If you stand in the front row at the concert, be careful—things tend to get a bit pushy. Example: My roommate is so pushy—she never even lets me decide where to order from when we get takeout.
Other Word Forms
- pushily adverb
- pushiness noun
Etymology
Origin of pushy
Explanation
Pushy people are aggressive and bold about getting what they want. A pushy used car salesperson will make you feel bullied into buying something even if you were just interested in admiring convertibles. If you're pushy, you're not afraid to let your ambition show, or to boss other people around. Pushy parents might argue with a teacher who gives their child a bad grade, and pushy newspaper reporters will invade your privacy to get a good story. This adjective was originally used, around 1891, to describe a cow. Just a few years later, it began to describe people as well.
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.
A year after narrowly losing best actor honors with his uncanny Bob Dylan portrayal in "A Complete Unknown," Timothee Chalamet had long appeared a lock for his pushy ping-pong player "Marty Supreme."
From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
He was never pushy, they said, explaining years later how they let their guard down.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026
And your pushy best friend is trying to sort out your love life.
From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025
“It just needed a push, and I’m pushy enough to say, ‘OK, let’s do this program in both ends of the hemisphere,’” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2025
I could tell he was annoyed by my lecturing and legal arguments, and I was pretty sure he thought I was being pushy.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
