jolt
Americanverb (used with object)
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to jar, shake, or cause to move by or as if by a sudden rough thrust; shake up roughly.
The bus jolted its passengers as it went down the rocky road.
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to knock sharply so as to dislodge.
He jolted the nail free with a stone.
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to stun with a blow, especially in boxing.
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to shock emotionally or psychologically.
His sudden death jolted us all.
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to bring to a desired state sharply or abruptly.
to jolt a person into awareness.
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to make active or alert, as by using an abrupt, sharp, or rough manner.
to jolt someone's memory.
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to interfere with or intrude upon, especially in a rough or crude manner; interrupt disturbingly.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a jolting shock, movement, or blow.
The automobile gave a sudden jolt.
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an emotional or psychological shock.
The news of his arrest gave me quite a jolt.
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something that causes such a shock.
The news was a jolt to me.
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a sudden, unexpected rejection or defeat.
Their policy got a rude jolt from the widespread opposition.
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Slang. a prison sentence.
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Slang. an injection of a narcotic.
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a bracing dose of something.
a jolt of whiskey; a jolt of fresh air.
verb
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to bump against with a jarring blow; jostle
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to move in a jolting manner
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to surprise or shock
noun
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a sudden jar or blow
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an emotional shock
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has joltedperfect 3rd person singular
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have joltedperfect
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are joltingprogressive
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is joltingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am joltingprogressive 1st person singular
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joltingparticiple
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has been joltingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been joltingperfect progressive
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joltssingular 3rd person
Past
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had joltedperfect
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had been joltingperfect progressive
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joltedsimple
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joltedparticiple
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was joltingprogressive singular
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were joltingprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of jolt
1590–1600; blend of jot to jolt and joll to bump, both now dial.
Explanation
To jolt someone is to disturb them or make them jump. A jolt is sudden and jarring. Jolting disturbs or surprises people. If you surprise someone and they jump up a little, you jolted them. Alarm clocks jolt people out of sleep. A sudden crack of thunder could provide a jolt. The unexpected barking of a dog could jolt you. Jolting is quick and not very pleasant. A jolt jars and stuns you. Some jolts are more serious: crashing your car jolts the people in the car violently.
Vocabulary lists containing jolt
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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.
When our main character starts lowering her defenses, however, that’s when she’s hit by a jolt that sends her spiraling.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
It provides a shock to either restart the heart if it stops beating, or to jolt it back into a regular rhythm if abnormalities are detected.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
As nurses who have evidently seen this situation many times try to revive him, Reed’s seemingly placid song turns with a jolt to a stern warning: “You’re gonna reap just what you sow.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
The live-entertainment industry is hoping for a jolt from the World Cup next month, as demand from concertgoers shows signs of cooling after a postpandemic boom.
From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026
“Basically, you combine cells using a jolt of electricity.”
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
