1
as in collision
a forceful coming together of two things
pack the glass vase so that it won't fall victim to any hard jolts in transit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in surprise
something that makes a strong impression because it is so unexpected
the news of the CEO's sudden retirement was a jolt to us all
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to shake
to make a series of small irregular or violent movements
the roller coaster car jerked and jolted as it coursed along the old wooden tracks
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to yank
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
she jolted the door open with her elbow
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to shock
to cause an unpleasant surprise for
the sneak terrorist attack jolted the country out of its indolence and indifference
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of jolt
Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
Adding firepower While Cushing clearly has confidence in two keepers, early returns also indicate the offense needs a jolt as well as more time to gel.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
George Avalos, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
That brings to mind a time when a series of near-miss Orioles teams found the wanting ingredient that finally jolted them to excellence.
—Raymond Daniel Burke, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Noun
Cobalt, as seen at Versace, and red, at Kallmeyer, bring a confident jolt of color, while pastels, like lavender (as seen at Chloé), blush pink, and soft blue offer a softer way to tap into the trend alongside staple neutrals.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 27 Mar. 2026
Adding firepower While Cushing clearly has confidence in two keepers, early returns also indicate the offense needs a jolt as well as more time to gel.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
Multiple Oakland hotels, office buildings and apartment hubs have been jolted by loan defaults and plunging values over the last few years.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
That brings to mind a time when a series of near-miss Orioles teams found the wanting ingredient that finally jolted them to excellence.
—Raymond Daniel Burke, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for jolt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jolt
Noun
-
After the first collision, Beavers' truck continued north, rolled onto its left side, and hit the sound barrier wall on the right shoulder.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Although embedded in spectacle culture, these events occasionally presented the possibility of truly poetic clashes between languages and artistic traditions—what Glissant calls an éclat, collisions that create sparks of novelty.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The event that had precipitated this change was the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a surprise assault on Israel launched by Arab forces on the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Within days, China’s surprise intervention in the deal quickly shattered that hope, as Beijing stepped up efforts to discourage Chinese AI founders from moving their businesses offshore.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When the clock finally ran out, Auriemma walked straight to the tunnel and didn’t shake hands.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The UConn players and assistant coaches shook hands with the South Carolina coaches and players after the game but Auriemma walked off the court after the game.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel drew walks, sandwiched around a Trout single, and then Soler yanked a three-run double down the left field line.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Minnesota starter Taj Bradley struck out nine over 4 1/3 innings, but was yanked after throwing 92 pitches.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One of his players from the 2005 team, outfielder Scott Podsednik, shocked Guillén with the announcement.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Coming off three straight 100-loss seasons and widely projected for a fourth in 2026, Polis believes the club’s changed front office, led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta, gives the Rockies a shot to shock the baseball world with a wild-card berth.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Moments later, a bass thump sounded in the distance.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The experimental jet, part of NASA’s Quesst mission, is designed to fly faster than the speed of sound while producing only a soft sonic thump instead of a disruptive boom.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And while many shudder at the idea of an AI job apocalypse, others are leveraging the technology to answer complex questions.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The effort paid off almost immediately, said Jonas Preine, a volcanologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; by chance, at the end of January 2025, the region began to shudder.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In a viral video of the aftermath, the robot jerks back and forth to shake the glass off, showering yet more dangerous shards onto the sidewalk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Tony Fauci was not just jerking the country around.—
David Blumenthal,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Jolt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jolt. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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