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push
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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈpʊʃ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/pʊʃ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(pŏŏsh)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026push /pʊʃ/USA pronunciation
v.
- to press against with force in order to move: [~ + object]He rudely pushed them aside.[no object]They were pushing and shoving.
- to move (something) in a certain way, as by exerting force: [~ + object]pushed the door open.[no object]He pushed past me.
- to (cause to) extend or stick up or out;
thrust: [no object]The plant pushed out of the soil.[~ + object]Pressure pushed lava to the surface.
- to urge (someone) to some action, or on some course of action: [no object]He's pushing too hard at his new job.[~ + object]He's pushing himself too hard; he needs a break.[~ + object + to + verb]His parents pushed him to get a job.
- to press (an action, proposal, etc.) with energy and by making demands: [~ + object]to push a bill through Congress.[no object]pushing for passage of the bill.
- to urge or promote the use, sale, adoption, etc., of something;
promote:[no object]still pushing for his vision of what our group should be about.
- to press or bear hard upon:[~ + object]The lawyer began to push the witness for an answer.
- Drugs, Slang Terms[Slang.]to sell (illegal drugs):[~] + [object]He was arrested for pushing cocaine and heroin.
- Informal Termsto be approaching:[be + ~-ing;~ + object]The car was pushing the speed limit.
- push around, to bully or intimidate: [~ + object + around]always pushing the younger boys around.[~ + around + object]always pushing around boys weaker than himself.
- push off, [no object][Informal.]to go away;
depart.
- push on, [no object] to proceed;
press forward:He pushed on with the project.
n. - [countable] the act of pushing;
a shove or thrust.
- [countable] a strong, determined effort, campaign, advance, military attack, etc.
- Informal Terms[uncountable]energy to complete an activity;
purpose;
drive;
enterprise.
Idioms
- Idioms when or if push comes to shove, when or if a problem must finally be dealt with.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026push
(pŏŏsh),USA pronunciation v.t.
- to press upon or against (a thing) with force in order to move it away.
- to move (something) in a specified way by exerting force;
shove;
drive:to push something aside; to push the door open.
- to effect or accomplish by thrusting obstacles aside:to push one's way through the crowd.
- to cause to extend or project;
thrust.
- to press or urge to some action or course:His mother pushed him to get a job.
- to press (an action, proposal, etc.) with energy and insistence:to push a bill through Congress.
- to carry (an action or thing) toward a conclusion or extreme:She pushed the project to completion.
- to press the adoption, use, sale, etc., of:to push inferior merchandise on customers.
- to press or bear hard upon, as in dealings with someone:The prosecutor pushed him for an answer.
- to put into difficulties because of the lack of something specified (usually fol. by for):to be pushed for time.
- Drugs, Slang Terms[Slang.]to peddle (illicit drugs).
- Informal Termsto be approaching a specific age, speed, or the like:The maestro is pushing ninety-two.
- Photographyto modify (film processing) to compensate for underexposure.
v.i. - to exert a thrusting force upon something.
- to use steady force in moving a thing away;
shove.
- to make one's way with effort or persistence, as against difficulty or opposition.
- to extend or project;
thrust:The point of land pushed far out into the sea.
- to put forth vigorous or persistent efforts.
- Drugs[Slang.]to sell illicit drugs.
- to move on being pushed:a swinging door that pushes easily.
- push around, to treat contemptuously and unfairly;
bully:She's not the kind of person who can be pushed around.
- push off, [Informal.]to go away;
depart:We stopped at Denver for the night and were ready to push off again the following morning.
- push on, to press forward;
continue;
proceed:The pioneers, despite overwhelming obstacles, pushed on across the plains.
- push one's luck. See luck (def. 9).
n. - the act of pushing;
a shove or thrust.
- a contrivance or part to be pushed in order to operate a mechanism.
- a vigorous onset or effort.
- a determined advance against opposition, obstacles, etc.
- a vigorous and determined military attack or campaign:The big push began in April.
- the pressure of circumstances, activities, etc.
- Informal Termspersevering energy;
enterprise.
- Informal Termsa crowd or company of people.
- British Termsdismissal from a job;
sack.
- British Terms[Australian Slang.]a gang of hoodlums.
- Idioms when or if push comes to shove, when or if matters are ultimately confronted or resolved;
when or if a problem must be faced;
in a crucial situation:If push comes to shove, the government will impose quotas on imports.
- Latin pulsāre. See pulsate
- Middle French pousser, Old French po(u)lser
- Middle English pushen, poshen, posson (verb, verbal) 1250–1300
3. shoulder. 5. persuade, impel.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
push /pʊʃ/ vb - when tr, often followed by off, away, etc: to apply steady force to (something) in order to move it
- to thrust (one's way) through something, such as a crowd, by force
- (transitive) to encourage or urge (a person) to some action, decision, etc
- when intr,often followed by for: to be an advocate or promoter (of): to push for acceptance of one's theories
- (transitive) to use one's influence to help (a person): to push one's own candidate
- to bear upon (oneself or another person) in order to achieve more effort, better results, etc
- to hit (a ball) with a stiff pushing stroke
- (transitive) informal to sell (narcotic drugs) illegally
n - the act of pushing; thrust
- a part or device that is pressed to operate some mechanism
- informal a special effort or attempt to advance, as of an army in a war
- Austral slang a group or gang, esp one considered to be a clique
- a stiff pushing stroke
- at a push ⇒ informal with difficulty; only just
- the push ⇒ informal chiefly Brit dismissal, esp from employment
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French pousser, from Latin pulsāre, from pellere to drive
'push' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a [quick, brief, light, slight, weak, huge, strong, mighty, big] push, push the button, one last [quick] push, more... 🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "push" in the title:
Look up "push" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "push" at dictionary.com
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