pushing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpu̇-shiŋ How to pronounce pushing (audio)
Definition of pushingnext
1
as in ambitious
having a strong desire for personal advancement among the young associates at the law firm, he was unmistakably the most pushing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited the sort of sycophantic, pushing man on the make that everyone loves to hate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pushing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of push
1
as in shoving
to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one I had to push my damaged bike all the way home

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in squeezing
to force one's way we had to push our way through a crowd that was mostly headed in the opposite direction

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pushing
Adjective
The weight limit was a necessary move to equalize race conditions and curb the use of athletic specialists who, although not bobsledders, have in the past proven decisive in their teams’ success through the pushing phase. — Alessio Caprodossi, Wired News, 15 Feb. 2026 Musk plunged into a controversy of his own making after tweeting and deleting a post pushing baseless allegations about the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. — Hamza Shaban, Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2022
Verb
This girl in front of me backed up and started pushing her butt against my crotch. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 Basically, the silicone cup creates suction around the area in question and you’re given a massage via pulling instead of pushing. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 Not really surprised, either, that the Celtics couldn’t get four firsts for Brown when the whole league knew the C’s were pushing to move on from their star forward. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 2 July 2026 These changes are the result of fierce competition between a handful of major brands, each pushing the game, and the athletes’ speed, power, and physics-defying spin, forward. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 July 2026 The strongest brands increasingly win not by pushing product harder, but by creating environments people want to belong to. — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Currently, the company is pushing for the NHTSA to relax two rules. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 22 June 2026 The abdomen may significantly protrude, pushing the diaphragm upward and making breathing more difficult. — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026 Late-stage trial results from Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, Pelage Pharmaceuticals and Veradermics are now pushing new options toward pharmacy shelves, with one program already pursuing parallel approval in the United States and Europe. — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pushing
  1. ambitious
  2. busy
  3. shoving
  4. squeezing
  5. aspiring
  6. driving
  7. pressing
  8. thrusting
Adjective
  • Its young people are increasingly educated and ambitious but many are frustrated over fierce competition for limited jobs.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Each scoop lifted tons of earth and rock as engineers raced to complete one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in history.
    — Malika Bowling, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of ambitious
Adjective
  • The tribe wants to build a travel center on the land along a busy highway on Long Island.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Because Saturday is typically the busiest day for car sales, most dealerships remain open then and close on Sundays instead.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
Definition of busy
Verb
  • The fallout continues from Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas shoving her fist into Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark's throat, and now one of the league's greatest players, Lisa Leslie, is giving her two cents.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
  • Marina Mabrey — while playing for the Connecticut Sun last season — received a technical for shoving Clark to the floor in a June 17, 2025, game.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of shoving
Verb
  • The same rules reshaping the car are squeezing the independent aftermarket out of the picture.
    — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Energy prices soared, squeezing Americans already frustrated by the high cost of living.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of squeezing
Adjective
  • After graduating, however, the aspiring model yearned for independence and decided to fund her own college education and apartment.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • And yet Webster’s dictionary, and his earlier attempts at spelling reform, expressed a radical desire to forge an entirely new tongue based in the vernacular genius of the aspiring American people.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of aspiring
Verb
  • Rodríguez Castro can be seen wearing a New York Yankees shirt, moving suggestively to driving percussive beats, punctuated by catchy, syncopated vocals.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • This involves pressing down on the ice cream to remove air bubbles.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 3 July 2026
  • Most believe that the federal government is too slow to address pressing issues in their districts.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
Definition of pressing
Verb
  • Her existential crisis is cut short when Sherlock Holmes is kidnapped, thrusting Enola into a new mystery set in Malta.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • The incident sparked a media frenzy, thrusting Lorena and John into the spotlight as their respective trials became front-page news.
    — Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026
Definition of thrusting

Browse Nearby Words

pushiness
pushing
pushing around
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Cite this Entry

“Pushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pushing. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pushing

Nglish: Translation of pushing for Spanish Speakers

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