PUSHING Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

pushing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpu̇-shiŋ

Definition of pushing

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

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

pushing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of push

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

as in squeezing

to force one's way we had to push our way through a crowd that was mostly headed in the opposite direction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 pushing

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

Subramanyam said his calls were monitored between March and May, noting that at the time the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee was pushing for former Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2026 Yet, this will take a great deal of finesse, including pushing through a bill in parliament by buttering up Lord Hawthorne (Hugh Bonneville), who is willing to trade his vote for a night out with Susie’s brother, Jack (Harry Goodwins). — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 Hostilities at sea have ‌escalated sharply with attacks by both sides on ports and commercial shipping, pushing ‌up global grain prices. — Reuters, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026 Industry groups are pushing hard to kill California’s plastic law. — Susanne Rust follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Humidity will increase slightly, with dew points rising from the mid-60s to the low 70s and pushing heat index values between 100 and 107 degrees. — Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 Rising Treasury yields are a primary driver pushing mortgage rates higher for homebuyers. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 That’s pushing half of the United States’ and Canada’s combined populations. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026 This reduced both electrical damage and unwanted light absorption simultaneously, pushing raw laboratory tests up to 27 percent. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pushing

Adjective

Up to half of the more than 200,000 mountain glaciers — vast, slow moving rivers of ice that creep across the world’s peaks — are expected to disappear by the end of this century, even if ambitious climate goals are met.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Some argue that cultural norms of male leadership and even outright discrimination keep women from top roles, while others argue that women are less ambitious than men.

— Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of ambitious

Adjective

Then, the Iran war started, resulting in massive disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, once one of the world's busiest oil-shipping lanes.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Palacios brings plenty to Ipswich with and without the ball, the statement signing in a busy window who could go a long way to keeping them up.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of busy

Verb

Golf equipment powerhouse Callaway ended its partnership with Good Good Golf amid the justified backlash over a video ad for a new Callaway driver that depicts a man aggressively shoving a woman to the ground.

— Greg Cote August 30, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
Pre-fight tensions escalated at the weigh-ins, with Itauma shoving Hrgovic off the stage, leading to a retaliatory slap from Hrgovic, adding fuel to the already compelling matchup.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of shoving

Verb

In the distance, a toddler in a matching Nike outfit literally leaped into the arms of a crying woman, perhaps a grandmother, squeezing tightly for a hug.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
The floods will likely change that outlook, squeezing a country that’s heavily dependent on tourism while forcing a costly period of reconstruction.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of squeezing

Adjective

Ghosh is one of the faculty members with an AI version that is part of an online startup bootcamp, where aspiring founders can rehearse investor pitches, sales calls, and board meetings.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Green and Perry starred alongside one another on the hit Fox series, in which Green portrayed the aspiring musician David Silver while Perry starred as the rebellious Dylan McKay, for 10 years from 1990 to 2000.

— Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of aspiring

Verb

Economists can debate whether a top-15 economy should morph itself into a giant leveraged bet on the AI trade, one now driving growth to new highs rather than simply riding alongside it.

— William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Still, several financial analysts have concluded that the prediction frenzy, with its sleek mobile apps and easy-to-understand odds, are driving the stock drops.

— Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of driving

Verb

Corbin uses cabbage as an anchor in his new and expanding Rolodex of flavors, thrusting it into the fire until the outer layers are blackened and frizzled.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Key players George Springer and Ernie Clement were sidelined, thrusting Jesus Sanchez into the outfield.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026