Word
jolt
US/ˈdʒoʊɫt/
UK/dʒˈəʊlt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a sudden, sharp movement or a strong shock that surprises you. It can be a physical shake or a sudden emotional surprise.
n. a sudden, abrupt movement or a sharp emotional shock. Often used to describe a physical impact or a sudden realization that causes a startle response.
Examples
“The car stopped with a sudden jolt.”
“The news of the unexpected merger gave the employees a jolt of anxiety about their job security.”
“A sudden jolt from the earthquake sent books flying off the shelves and woke the entire neighborhood in the middle of the night.”
Examples
simple
“The car stopped with a sudden jolt.”
contextual
“The news of the unexpected merger gave the employees a jolt of anxiety about their job security.”
complex
“A sudden jolt from the earthquake sent books flying off the shelves and woke the entire neighborhood in the middle of the night.”
Usage
Often appears in the phrase 'a jolt of' followed by an abstract noun like 'energy', 'electricity', or 'surprise'.
Real-World Examples
“Local media said new explosions later jolted the city.” “The lesson, he says, was that "the paleoclimate evidence actually doesn't suggest that climate change would happen smoothly, but rather in some jumps and jolts and non-linear effects".” Etymology
Perhaps from joll (“to knock, strike”) + -t (frequentative suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/jolt