Meaning & use
shove
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To push someone or something roughly and suddenly, using force.
Grammar: Takes an object: shove the door, shove someone aside.
Patterns
- shove someone/something
- shove someone/something + adverb/preposition
- shove something into/under/through something
He shoved the heavy box across the floor.
She shoved her hands deep into her coat pockets.
The crowd shoved him toward the exit.
verbintransitive
To push yourself or move with rough, forceful movements.
Grammar: No object; often followed by an adverb or preposition: shove through the crowd.
Patterns
- shove through something
- shove past someone
- shove in
We had to shove through the crowded market.
He shoved past me without saying sorry.
She shoved in front of everyone in the line.
nouncountable
A rough, forceful push given to someone or something.
Grammar: Countable: a shove, two shoves.
Patterns
- give someone a shove
- a shove in the back
She gave him a shove to get him moving.
He felt a shove from behind and stumbled.
One more shove and the door will open.
Word forms
| third person singular | shoves |
|---|---|
| past tense | shoved |
| past participle | shoved |
| -ing form | shoving |
| plural | shoves |
Common combinations
- shove something aside
- He shoved the papers aside to make room.
- shove someone around
- The older kids used to shove him around at school.
- shove off
- She told him to shove off and leave her alone.
- shove it
- When he complained, she told him to shove it.
- shove in
- Don't shove in; wait your turn.
Synonyms and how they differ
- push
- Push is the general word for moving something away from you; shove is rougher and more sudden.
- thrust
- Thrust suggests a strong, deliberate forward movement, often with a weapon or tool; shove is more casual and physical.
- jostle
- Jostle means to push against people in a crowd, often by accident; shove is more intentional and forceful.
Opposites
Word family
- shover noun
- A person who shoves.
- shoving noun
- The act of pushing roughly.
Commonly confused: shove or shovel?
shove vs shovel
Shovel is a tool for digging or moving loose material; shove means to push roughly.
Practice
Choose the correct word: He ___ the door open with his shoulder.
Choose one answer.
Shoved fits because it means pushed roughly and suddenly. Shoveled means dug with a shovel; shoved off means left or pushed away from shore; shoving is the -ing form and doesn't fit the past tense here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shove”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.