thrust

1 of 2

verb

thrust; thrusting

transitive verb

1
: to push or drive with force : shove
2
: to cause to enter or pierce something by or as if by pushing
thrust a dagger into his heart
3
4
5
a
: to put (someone, such as an unwilling person) forcibly into a course of action or position
was thrust into the job
b
: to introduce often improperly into a position : interpolate
6
: to press, force, or impose the acceptance of upon someone
thrust new responsibilities upon her

intransitive verb

1
a
: to force an entrance or passage
b
: to push forward : press onward
c
: to push upward : project
2
: to make a thrust, stab, or lunge with or as if with a pointed weapon
thrust at them with a knife

thrust

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a forward or upward push
b
: a movement (as by a group of people) in a specified direction
2
a
: salient or essential element or meaning
the thrust of the argument
b
: principal concern or objective
the plan's major thrust is testingRyan Lizza
3
a
: a strong continued pressure
b
: the sideways force or pressure of one part of a structure against another part (as of an arch against an abutment)
c
: the force produced by a propeller or by a jet or rocket engine that drives a vehicle (such as an aircraft) forward
d
: a nearly horizontal geologic fault
4
a
: a push or lunge with a pointed weapon
b(1)
: a verbal attack
(2)
: a military assault

Examples of thrust in a Sentence

Verb He thrust his hands into his pockets. He thrust his fist into the air. The doctor thrust the needle into the patient's arm. He thrust at me with his sword. Noun With one last thrust he broke through the barrier. a single thrust of his sword
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, and the withdrawal of US troops from the country, thrust ISIS-K into the global spotlight – especially after the group orchestrated a deadly bombing outside Kabul airport that killed 13 US military personnel and 170 Afghans. Jessie Yeung, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024 Yet, this is the reality for many young adults exiting foster care, thrust into adulthood without a safety net, despite California’s reputation for progressive legislation. Andre V. Chapman, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2024 Mizuhara was thrust into the spotlight at that summer’s All-Star Game when Ohtani tapped him to be his catcher for the home run derby. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 The device, a mix between a miniature jet ski and a bobsled, thrusts riders above and below the water at up to around 12 miles per hour. Stephanie Vermillion, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 The ruling thrust the state into the national spotlight and sent Republican and Democratic lawmakers scrambling for a legislative fix. USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 Elsewhere in Northern Virginia, Loudoun County Public Schools, which was thrust into a political upheaval over its transgender student policy in 2021, is still weighing whether to adopt the Youngkin administration’s model guidance. Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet FREE Shakespeare in the Park 2024 July 12-September 1, 2024 While grappling with the grief of his father’s murder, Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is thrust into a web of deceit, betrayal, and impending war. David Catlin, The Enquirer, 6 Mar. 2024 Riseborough and Gleeson make out about as well as could be expected from two characters we’re barely given a chance to know before they’re thrust into delirious angst. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
That year, its arts council released a report outlining strategies for the city’s cultural thrust — a long view that has paid off decades later. Regine Cabato, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Photo : Honda Honda VTOL Mobility behemoth Honda is leveraging its extensive knowledge from its HondaJet to develop a unique tiltrotor VTOL, with eight rotors for vertical lift and two rotors for horizontal thrust. Dan Sloat, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024 This thrust broke the stock out of a range that can be seen in the weekly strip in the three-up chart below. Bill Sarubbi, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 That seems to be a position that is at war with the whole thrust of the 14th Amendment and very ahistorical. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2024 The United States had urged Ukraine to focus all forces on a single thrust to break Russian lines in the south. Marc Santora, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The last two administrations, Biden's and Trump's, have made returning manufacturing to the United States a central thrust of their policies. Gautam Mukunda, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 There would be more microphones thrust at them and cameras zooming in for close-ups. Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Feb. 2024 In comparison, a Falcon 9 rocket also generates 1.7 million pounds of thrust while Falcon Heavy generates 5.1 million pounds of thrust. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thrust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English thrusten, thristen, from Old Norse thrȳsta; probably akin to Old Norse thrjōta to tire, Old English thrēat coercion — more at threat

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Time Traveler
The first known use of thrust was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near thrust

Cite this Entry

“Thrust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrust. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thrust

1 of 2 verb
thrust; thrusting
1
: to push or drive with force : shove
2
: to cause to enter or pierce something by pushing
thrust a knife into the bread
3
: to press or force the acceptance of upon someone
thrust new responsibilities upon her

thrust

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a push or lunge with a pointed weapon
b
: a military attack
2
: the force produced by a propeller or jet or rocket engine that drives an aircraft or rocket forward
3
a
: a forward or upward push
b
: a movement (as by a group of people) in a particular direction

More from Merriam-Webster on thrust

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