jostle
C1Neutral, leaning slightly informal.
Definition
Meaning
To push, elbow, or bump against someone roughly, typically in a crowd.
To compete or contend forcefully for position, advantage, or attention; to vie aggressively.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries a connotation of physical roughness or aggressive competition. Can be transitive or intransitive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or spelling. Frequency of use is comparable.
Connotations
Identical connotations of physical pushing or forceful competition.
Frequency
Slightly more common in UK English in physical contexts (e.g., describing crowded public transport), but the difference is minor.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] jostles [Object][Subject] jostles for [Goal][Subject] jostles against/with [Opponent]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Jostle for position”
- “Jostle someone's elbow”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorically used to describe aggressive competition in markets: 'Start-ups jostle for market share with established giants.'
Academic
Used in historical/social analysis of crowds or competition: 'Protesters jostled with police at the barricades.'
Everyday
Describing physical experience in crowds: 'We got jostled on the busy Tube platform.'
Technical
Rare. Potentially in physics or robotics for describing objects in confined spaces.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Commuters jostle for space on the morning train to London.
- The players jostled for the ball during the corner kick.
American English
- Fans jostled to get a better view of the parade.
- Companies are jostling to dominate the streaming market.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children jostled each other playfully in the queue.
- Don't jostle me while I'm carrying this hot drink.
- Tourists jostled through the narrow streets of the old town.
- Several candidates are jostling to become the next party leader.
- The emerging technologies are jostling for supremacy in a rapidly evolving landscape.
- He felt subtly jostled out of his influential role on the committee.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a JUSTLE (sounds like 'justle') in a crowd – you're JUST trying to get through, but you have to use your elbows.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS PHYSICAL CONTACT (e.g., 'jostling for attention').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from толкать (to push) in non-physical contexts. 'Jostle' implies a more specific, rough, often repeated action within a confined space.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'jostle' for a single, deliberate push (use 'shove'). Confusing 'jostle' with 'joggle' (to shake slightly).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'jostle' used metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily violent, but it strongly implies roughness, lack of care, and aggressive physical contact or competition. It can range from playful to hostile.
Yes, often used intransitively (e.g., 'The crowd jostled.') or with prepositions like 'for', 'against', 'through' (e.g., 'jostle for attention').
The noun is also 'jostle' (e.g., 'the constant jostle of the crowd'), but it's less common than the verb. 'Jostling' is a frequently used gerund/noun.
Yes. 'Hustle' implies energetic, hurried movement, often with a purpose ('hustle to work'). 'Jostle' specifically involves pushing or bumping against others. You can hustle without jostling, and vice versa.