verb

push

puush

verb

To apply force to something so it moves away from you.

"She pushed the door open with her shoulder."

"Push the cart to the back of the store."

To keep pressuring or persuading someone toward a course of action.

"His parents pushed him to study medicine."

"Don't push me into a decision I'm not ready for."

To promote or advertise something persistently.

"The company has been pushing its new phone in every ad break."

To keep striving hard toward a goal.

"The team pushed hard in the final quarter to close the gap."

noun

A short, forceful application of pressure; the act of pushing.

"It only took one push to knock the vase over."

A sustained, determined effort to achieve something.

"The company is making a big push into the Asian market."

How to Use Push

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo apply force to move something away, or to keep pressing someone or something toward a goal.

Common mistake

A "push" (noun) meaning a sales drive or concerted effort is often used loosely — "a big push" — rather than a single physical shove.

Common pairings

push for change push someone to do something big push push and pull

Word Forms

pushed past tense, push plural, pushed plural, pushes plural, pushes plural, Pushes plural, pushes singular, push singular, pushed singular, pushest singular, pushedst singular, pusheth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She _____ the door open with her shoulder.

Etymology

From Old French pousser, from Latin pulsare ("to beat or strike"), the same root that gives us "pulse" and "pulsate."

Rhymes for push

tush lush bush mush gush rush hush kush brush crush blush plush

See all rhymes for push →