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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pushing
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
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
As the city morphs into a luxury tourist destination, struggling small businesses are pushing to retain the character that drew many tourists in the first place.
—Laura Millan, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
Bayer has been pushing to resolve scores of the residential cases through a sweeping settlement, trying to put the costly claims behind it.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Use a damp microfiber cloth to trap particles instead of just pushing them to the next surface.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Construction groups are pushing a ballot measure that would require Colorado to spend all motor vehicle and gas tax revenue on fixing the state’s roads, diverting more than $500 million a year from other priorities.
—Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026
The commission does have a solid track record pushing for openness so far.
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2026
Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 14 people, pushing an already shaky ceasefire close to collapse.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
While some of the Panthers’ seven draft picks will serve primarily as depth and special teams cogs, the likes of Freeling, Lee Hunter, Chris Brazzell II and Sam Hecht could end up pushing their new teammates down or off the roster totem pole.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
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
The company is also pushing for legislation to shield it from liability.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
As the city morphs into a luxury tourist destination, struggling small businesses are pushing to retain the character that drew many tourists in the first place.
—Laura Millan, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
Bayer has been pushing to resolve scores of the residential cases through a sweeping settlement, trying to put the costly claims behind it.
—Carrie Johnson, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Use a damp microfiber cloth to trap particles instead of just pushing them to the next surface.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Construction groups are pushing a ballot measure that would require Colorado to spend all motor vehicle and gas tax revenue on fixing the state’s roads, diverting more than $500 million a year from other priorities.
—Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 27 Apr. 2026
The commission does have a solid track record pushing for openness so far.
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 27 Apr. 2026
Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed at least 14 people, pushing an already shaky ceasefire close to collapse.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
While some of the Panthers’ seven draft picks will serve primarily as depth and special teams cogs, the likes of Freeling, Lee Hunter, Chris Brazzell II and Sam Hecht could end up pushing their new teammates down or off the roster totem pole.
—Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pushing
Adjective
-
Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Completely round and full, the full moon will be in the ambitious, mysterious sign of Scorpio.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lucas Giolito had a busy first full day in the Padres organization.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
As always, our NASCAR experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, took time out of their busy schedules to answer all our Talladega questions.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Some of the recent videos show the runners bumping into security guards and shoving past church staff, then leaving after being cornered and told to get off the property.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Reus scored the winner on a PK after a foul on Sam Junqua for shoving Elijah Wynder in the back on a corner kick.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From truckers to commuters, gasoline prices are squeezing budgets across the country.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The university is scheduled to replace the turf in July, squeezing into a tight window of summer events.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the original, which opened in 2006 and grossed $326 million worldwide, Hathaway’s Andy is an aspiring journalist who becomes the personal assistant to Streep’s Miranda.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
-
To each of these aspiring writers, Meredith sent a brochure advertising his services.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For Ioane, that comes in the form of driving a defensive lineman into the ground to clear a path for his quarterback or running back.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
But the judge said that Hallford made credible claims of being a victim of domestic violence and that her ex-husband, Jon Hallford, was the driving force in their relationship.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The state has been pressing the federal government for a $608 million grant to cover the state taxpayer funds used to construct and operate the detention facility, but that money hasn’t materialized.—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
This week, the US trade representative reinforced that strategy by pressing allies to shoulder more of the supply chain burden.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Orlando teammates shared a quick high-five before thrusting the air awfully close to one another.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Each actor elevates and pushes the other toward greatness, parrying and thrusting in excruciating exchanges and switching from vulnerability to anger in a matter of seconds.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pushing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pushing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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