Meaning & use
push
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To press on something so it moves away from you.
Grammar: Often with a direction: push the door open.
Patterns
- push something
- push something open
- push against something
He pushed the heavy door open.
Push the cart into the corner.
She pushed against the crowd.
verbtransitive
To pressure someone to do something or work harder.
Grammar: Often with into or to: push someone to try.
Patterns
- push someone to do something
- push someone into something
My parents pushed me to study harder.
The coach pushes the team every day.
Don't push yourself too hard.
verbtransitiveinformal
To promote or try to sell something.
Grammar: Informal: push a product.
Patterns
- push something
The shop is pushing its new line.
She pushed her book on social media.
They push the idea in every meeting.
nouncountable
An act of pushing, or a strong effort toward a goal.
Grammar: Countable: give it a push, a final push.
Patterns
- a push for something
- give something a push
Give the car a push.
The team made a final push to finish.
There is a push for cleaner energy.
Word forms
| third person singular | pushes |
|---|---|
| past tense | pushed |
| past participle | pushed |
| -ing form | pushing |
| plural | pushes |
Common combinations
- push the button
- Push the button to start.
- push forward
- We pushed forward despite the weather.
- push back
- Staff pushed back against the plan.
- push for
- They push for change.
- push someone around
- Don't let them push you around.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shove
- Shove is a rougher, more forceful push.
- press
- Press is steady pressure, often on a button.
- urge
- Urge is to encourage strongly with words.
- thrust
- Thrust is a sudden powerful push forward.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: push or pull?
push vs pull
Push moves away from you; pull moves toward you.
Practice
The sign on the door says '____ to open,' so don't pull.
Choose one answer.
Since the passage says don't pull, push is the instruction. Press down and lift are different actions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “push”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.