jostled; jostling
ˈjā-s(ə-)liŋ 
1
a
: to come in contact or into collision
a jostling crowd
b
: to make one's way by pushing and shoving
people jostling toward the exit
c
: to exist in close proximity
2
: to vie in gaining an objective : contend
tribes began to jostle with one another for room—
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe1
2
: to vie with in attaining an objective
an enormous industry in which a great many companies and interests jostle each other fiercely—Washington Post
Washington Post1
: the experience of being pushed or jostled (see jostle entry 1)
might glide through … life among them without a jostle—Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson2
: the state of being crowded or pushed together : the state of being jostled
the state fair is deliberately about the crowds and jostle, the noise and overload of sight and event—David Foster Wallace
David Foster WallaceSynonyms
Examples of jostle in a Sentence
Verb
Everyone in the crowd was jostling each other trying to get a better view.
everyone glared at the man who jostled to the front of the line
Recent Examples on the Web
Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2024
During a motion transfer test, there was only a small amount of bounce, but likely not enough to jostle a partner awake.
—Lindsay Boyers, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2024
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024
It’s not associated with weather systems or geographic features on the ground, and as its name suggests, essentially jostles planes around in otherwise clear skies.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jostle 
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Verb
But the MacBook lineup is more crowded than ever, with the 13-inch Air, 15-inch Air, and base model 14-inch Pro jostling for space.
—Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2024
During a motion transfer test, there was only a small amount of bounce, but likely not enough to jostle a partner awake.
—Lindsay Boyers, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2024
Noun
First, the quick clip across the plaza, the flourishing of tickets, the awkward jostle of knees and coats.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024
It’s not associated with weather systems or geographic features on the ground, and as its name suggests, essentially jostles planes around in otherwise clear skies.
—Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jostle
Dictionary Entries Near jostle
Cite this Entry
“Jostle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jostle. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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