1
as in pushing
to apply force to (someone or something) so that it moves in front of one
the cat thrust her paw under the couch, trying to reach her toy mouse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in rising
to move or extend upward
the butte thrusts up 300 feet from the floor of the valley
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 thrusting
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
Because the preliminary Iran deal leaves key details unresolved, further negotiations virtually ensure the agreement remains in flux through the election season — potentially thrusting the talks into the center of the presidential primary campaign.
—
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Like the tip of a spear thrusting from the London skyline, The Shard has become an appealing landmark for filmmakers over the years.
—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
Four 2,400 kW electric motors (two each per hull) are coupled with steerable and thrusting waterjets with an output power above 25 kn.
—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026
The painting, surrounded by scaffolding while the church undergoes repairs, is full of thrusting diagonals and shadowy figures, a meditation on both extreme suffering and pointed indifference to it.
—
Sebastian Smee,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
No sooner are Lucila and her brother Diego (Sergio Bautista) tearfully abandoned by their mother as children than the Spanish setting takes the wheel, thrusting us quickly and headfirst into Lucila’s young adult life nearly a decade later, without even half a second’s worth of reflection.
—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Zohran Mamdani’s anti-business, anti-wealth crusade is thrusting the city into a death spiral — fewer businesses and residents mean higher taxes, since local leaders won’t cut spending, driving even more to leave.
—
Liz Peek,
Washington Post,
4 May 2026
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
Because the preliminary Iran deal leaves key details unresolved, further negotiations virtually ensure the agreement remains in flux through the election season — potentially thrusting the talks into the center of the presidential primary campaign.
—
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Like the tip of a spear thrusting from the London skyline, The Shard has become an appealing landmark for filmmakers over the years.
—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
Four 2,400 kW electric motors (two each per hull) are coupled with steerable and thrusting waterjets with an output power above 25 kn.
—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026
The painting, surrounded by scaffolding while the church undergoes repairs, is full of thrusting diagonals and shadowy figures, a meditation on both extreme suffering and pointed indifference to it.
—
Sebastian Smee,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
No sooner are Lucila and her brother Diego (Sergio Bautista) tearfully abandoned by their mother as children than the Spanish setting takes the wheel, thrusting us quickly and headfirst into Lucila’s young adult life nearly a decade later, without even half a second’s worth of reflection.
—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Zohran Mamdani’s anti-business, anti-wealth crusade is thrusting the city into a death spiral — fewer businesses and residents mean higher taxes, since local leaders won’t cut spending, driving even more to leave.
—
Liz Peek,
Washington Post,
4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thrusting
Verb
-
The abdomen may significantly protrude, pushing the diaphragm upward and making breathing more difficult.
-
Basically, the silicone cup creates suction around the area in question and you’re given a massage via pulling instead of pushing.
Verb
-
And each time another first-time climber reaches the top, the applause rising from the rocks below suggests that, little by little, that community is growing.
-
Practices are seeing rising amputations, and hospitalizations are surging.
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.
-
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.
Verb
-
Cecelia Kale was climbing a tree in her front yard in Tigerton on June 23 when a bat latched onto her leg, according to her family.
-
Cooling your feet brings down overall body temperature, so chill a pair of socks in the fridge during the day and slip them on before climbing into bed.
Verb
-
Rodríguez Castro can be seen wearing a New York Yankees shirt, moving suggestively to driving percussive beats, punctuated by catchy, syncopated vocals.
-
Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
Verb
-
Maxey has also become one of the NBA’s best guards, and Edgecombe is still ascending.
-
An autopsy later determined the cause of Grant’s shocking death, at just 49 years old, to be a ruptured ascending aortic aneurysm.
Verb
-
His celebratory words marking its 250th anniversary included not only the traditional paeans to the Founders but also a dose of personal grievance, plus soaring praise for his own achievements.
-
Like Micron, the second-best performer in the S&P 500 this year with a scorching 242% gain, the company is benefiting from soaring demand for high-bandwidth memory chips.
Verb
-
Proponents say the workout’s minimal movements, like short sets of squats and lifting light weights, leave them with soreness but also increase their muscle.
-
This mission will attempt to place a batch of CubeSats into orbit after lifting off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway.
Cite this Entry
“Thrusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thrusting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
