Shove

/ʃʌv/

Synonyms for "shove" (188 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (38)

Adjective(3 words)
aggressive shovingconstant pushcontinuous push
Noun(10 words)
bargebargesbargingbody shoveboostbumpcatalan forçacramcrowd pushcrowds
Verb(2 words)

Strong matches (56)

Adjective(5 words)
danish skubbedense crowd pushextra pushheavy thrustimpulsive push gesture
Noun(19 words)
deliberate pushdoor pushingelbow throughelbowingelbowsforce applicationforce applicationsforce conceptforcesforces readingfrench forcehard shoveimpetusintrudejet engine thrustjostlesjostlingline pushmeasurement of push

Related words (94)

Noun(33 words)
norwegian skubbenudgesportuguese forçapropelpushpush alongpush directionpush hardpusherpushesquick shoveramrough pushshoulder bumpshoulder shoveshoulderingshove awayshoving gestureshuntsingle push
Show 13 more words
spanish fuerzasqueezingsurface pushthrongthrustthrust forwardthrust forward aggressivelythrust intothrust of the argumentthrust with forcethrustingthrustsviolent push
Adjective(8 words)
ongoing pushphysical shovingrough shovestrong pushsudden motion-changeunpremeditated pushviolent pushesviolent shove
Verb(9 words)
push a blockpush a cartpush offpushedshuntedsqueezestuffthrustthrust a spear
Preposition(1 words)
with force

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: actuate, advance, aggressive shoving, assault, barge.
  • Sentence evidence is available for shove, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "shove".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "shove"

Keep "shove" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "shove" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "shove", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "shove" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

14 entries

More specific

13 entries
agenda shiftbargebody contactbody shovecramjostlelegislation pushnudgeprodpushingramshoulder bumpshoulder shove

Collocations

10 entries
a shovecareless shoveminor shovepowerful shovequick shoverough shoveshoulder shovestrong shovesudden shoveviolent shove

Inflections

3 entries

Derivations

2 entries

Sample sentences

14 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

Shove a stick up your ass.

Source: tatoeba (462426)

Look, if push comes to shove I have no doubt she'll pull rank on you to get her way.

Source: tatoeba (593679)

If he had insulted me, I would have given him a shove.

Source: tatoeba (738224)

I think it's time for me to shove off.

Source: tatoeba (903866)

Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "shove"?

Closest matches include actuate, advance, aggressive shoving, assault, barge.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "shove"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "shove"