rush

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈrəsh How to pronounce rush (audio)
Synonyms of rushnext
: any of various monocotyledonous often tufted marsh plants (as of the genera Juncus and Luzula of the family Juncaceae, the rush family) with cylindrical often hollow stems which are used in bottoming chairs and plaiting mats
rushy
ˈrə-shē How to pronounce rush (audio)
adjective

rush

2 of 4

verb

rushed; rushing; rushes

intransitive verb

1
: to move forward, progress, or act with haste or eagerness or without preparation
2
: to advance a football by running plays
rushed for a total of 150 yards

transitive verb

1
: to push or impel on or forward with speed, impetuosity, or violence
2
: to perform in a short time or at high speed
3
: to urge to an unnatural or extreme speed
don't rush me
4
: to run toward or against in attack : charge
5
a
: to carry (a ball) forward in a running play
b
: to move in quickly on (a kicker or passer) to hinder, prevent, or block a kick or pass
—used especially of defensive linemen
6
a
: to lavish attention on : court
b
: to try to secure a pledge of membership (as in a fraternity) from

rush

3 of 4

noun (2)

1
a
: a violent forward motion
b
: attack, onset
c
: a surging of emotion
2
a
: a burst of activity, productivity, or speed
b
: a sudden insistent demand
3
: a thronging of people usually to a new place in search of wealth
a gold rush
4
a
: the act of carrying a football during a game : running play
b
: the action or an instance of rushing a passer or kicker in football
a pass rush
5
a
: a round of attention usually involving extensive social activity
b
: a drive by a fraternity or sorority to recruit new members
6
: a print of a motion-picture scene processed directly after the shooting for review by the director or producer : daily sense 3
—usually used in plural
7
a
: the immediate pleasurable feeling produced by a drug (such as heroin or cocaine)

called also flash

… stimulants found in the bath salts provide a rush similar to cocaine or methamphetamine.—Larry Oakes
b
: a surge in energy following the intake of sugar or caffeine
The sugar rush has many causes, but one of the most important was the invention of high-fructose corn syrup in 1957.—Tiffany O'Callaghan
Drink one fast and you might experience brain freeze and a caffeine rush at the same time.—Margaret McCormick
c
: a sudden feeling of intense pleasure or excitement : thrill
… boys and girls around the country still get a rush out of zipping downhill in hand-made cars at speeds up to 30 mph.—Rene Romo

rush

4 of 4

adjective

: requiring or marked by special speed or urgency
rush orders
the rush season
a rush job

Synonyms

Verb

Noun (2)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Example Sentences

Verb Firefighters rushed to the accident scene. The children rushed down the stairs. I rushed home from work to get ready for the party. She rushed to close the window when she heard the rain. We were rushing to catch the bus. He got nervous because they rushed him. He rushed through his work and made a lot of careless mistakes. Water rushed through the pipes. The rushing water broke through the barrier. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
After the sugar rush of the Trump era—a period that was very, very good for business for most in the media, particularly in cable news—everything came crashing down. —Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 8 June 2023 The city's skyline was barely visible for most parts of the day, and the smell of the smoke was strong as commuters hit the evening rush. —ABC News, 6 June 2023 McCarthy is working furiously to sell skeptical fellow Republicans, even fending off challenges to his leadership, in the rush to avert a potentially disastrous U.S. default. —Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 31 May 2023 And then there is the rush created by Wainaina’s language, which moves to its own syncopation. —Anderson Tepper, New York Times, 29 May 2023 What better way to beat the rush and enjoy the weather by making the great outdoors your gym? —Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 26 May 2023 Best Time to Visit Paris for Lower Prices The cheapest time to visit Paris is during the off-season — in the winter, before and after the holiday rush, which means early December, January, and February. —Maya Kachroo-levine, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2023 On Seattle’s second power play, Oettinger stopped the rush of Jordan Eberle as the latter dived nose-first into the crease. —Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 14 May 2023 With Smith on the opposite side of Garrett, the Browns boast a formidable pass rush that should stack up among the best in the NFL. —Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY, 13 May 2023
Verb
Water flooded the lower deck and people rushed to the top, drenched and facing the brunt of the chilling wind. —Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 11 June 2023 Most of the children were rushed to a hospital in the French Alpine city of Grenoble — the first stop for Macron and his wife on Friday morning. —John Leicester, Anchorage Daily News, 9 June 2023 Also in the top 10 of the new Top Album Sales chart, Taylor Swift’s Midnights rushes 10-1, logging its 14th nonconsecutive week atop the list after new deluxe editions and a color vinyl variant of the album were released. —Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 9 June 2023 Jamaal Williams ran for 1,066 yards on 262 carries and led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns for Detroit in 2022. —Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 9 June 2023 Powell ended up rushing for three touchdowns, giving him the franchise record for all-time TDs with 82. —Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 9 June 2023 Not only do floods damage and destroy vehicles, but according to the National Weather Service, 2 feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles, including pickup trucks and SUVs. —Steven Glass, Car and Driver, 9 June 2023 Chicago Bears Why would a team that averaged a league-best 177.3 rushing yards invest in another runner? —Michael Middlehurst-schwartz, USA TODAY, 8 June 2023 Its coach emphasized Indiana won’t rush Williams back recklessly. —The Indianapolis Star, 7 June 2023
Adjective
This is has not been rush mode. —Evan Grant, Dallas News, 25 Mar. 2023 Others were rush jobs. —Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2022 Does Kimberly know not attending one pre-rush event won’t disqualify you from actually rushing? —Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rush.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English rysc; akin to Middle High German rusch rush, Lithuanian regzti to knit

Verb

Middle English russhen, from Anglo-French reuser, ruser, russher to drive back, repulse, from Latin recusare to oppose — more at recusant

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rush was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing rush

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Dictionary Entries Near rush

rusell

rush

Rush

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Rush.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rush. Accessed 19 Jun. 2023.

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Kids Definition

rush

1 of 4 noun
ˈrəsh How to pronounce rush (audio)
: any of various marsh plants that are monocotyledons often having hollow stems sometimes used to weave chair seats and mats

rush

2 of 4 verb
1
: to move forward or act with haste or eagerness
2
: to perform in a short time or at high speed
rushed the job through
3
: to urge on to greater speed
don't rush me
4
: to run toward or against in attack : charge
rusher noun

rush

3 of 4 noun
1
: a violent forward motion
a rush of wind
2
: a burst of activity or speed
3
: an eager migration of people usually to a new place in search of wealth
the gold rush

rush

4 of 4 adjective
: demanding special speed or hurry
rush orders
the rush season
Etymology

Noun

Old English rysc "the rush plant"

Verb

Middle English russhen "to rush," from early French ruser "to drive off, repulse," from Latin recusare "to oppose"

Medical Definition

rush

noun
ˈrəsh How to pronounce rush (audio)
1
: a rapid and extensive wave of peristalsis along the walls of the intestine
peristaltic rush
2
: the immediate pleasurable feeling produced by a drug (as heroin or amphetamine)

called also flash

Biographical Definition

Rush

biographical name

ˈrəsh How to pronounce Rush (audio)
Benjamin 1745–1813 American physician and patriot

More from Merriam-Webster on rush

Nglish: Translation of rush for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of rush for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rush

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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