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to muscle

to muscle

20 6.6
To push into a place using physical strength or influence
  • verb
  • /ˈmʌsəl/
  • Informal
: abrirse paso
  • During the negotiation, the CEO tried to muscle his way into a better deal by leveraging his company's influence.
  • muscle one's way into

And this kid for me, he outpaces, he out muscles, he out positions.

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Examples

  • He decided to muscle his way into the exclusive club, despite not having a formal invitation.

  • And don't let anybody try to muscle in.

  • Sure, you could muscle your way out of bed every morning.

  • I mean, do you think that you need someone to come in there and, and muscle their way in for him to do that?

  • Gonna let him muscle me around?

  • Yes, and it well, not just, not just as much say, but they muscle their way to the front of the queue, as it were.

  • They're gonna try and muscle us, but we're not gonna let that happen.

  • Sam bolts to the head of the line and muscles his way into the cab.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • I didn't muscle in.

  • The athlete had to muscle his way through the crowd to reach the podium in time for the ceremony.

Synonyms

to push
vsto muscle
∞ 1.0

To move something away from you using force, often with your hands

specifies forcing entry or passage rather than ordinary directional pushing
to force
vsto muscle
161 1.9

To push something so it moves or opens

focuses more specifically on gaining entry or passage rather than general pushing
to squeeze
vsto muscle
130 2.8

To move into a narrow space with difficulty

is broader meaning force entry or passage not limited to tight spaces
to thrust
vsto muscle
101 3.9

To push something or someone suddenly and forcefully forward

tends to mean forcing a way through or into something rather than a single sudden push
to break through
vsto muscle
99 3.7

To move suddenly through a barrier, as light or a person

is used more generally for entering or passing using strength or influence
to shoulder
vsto muscle
4 4.7

To force your way past people using the top of your arm

covers forcing entry or passage by any means not only upper body action
to bull
vsto muscle
  • Informal
3 8.1

To push through a crowd or barrier using force

allows nonphysical influence or tactics as well as sheer physical force
to muscle into
vsto muscle
  • Informal
2 7.4

Force your way into a group, place, or activity using strength and influence

is the more general act of forcing entry or passage using strength or influence
1 3.9

Move forward by getting past people or things blocking the way

can also mean gaining entry through influence rather than only pushing physically

Antonyms

311 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

74 4.3

To stop resisting under pressure or force

Idioms

1 6.8

To show power to frighten or control others

Phrasal Verbs

Hurt a muscle by stretching or straining it too much

to muscle up
  • Informal
3 8.1

Gather the courage to face a hard task

to muscle into
  • Informal
2 7.4

Force your way into a group, place, or activity using strength and influence

to muscle up
  • Jargon
1 6.4

Pull yourself up and push your body over a bar or rings in one movement

To make muscles feel less tight or stiff

Compounds

heart muscle
  • Specialized
16 3.5

The part of the heart that makes it beat and forms its walls

muscle spasm
  • Specialized
11 3.4

A sudden tight movement of a muscle that hurts or feels uncomfortable

muscle tone
  • Specialized
9 3.4

A little tightness in resting muscles that keeps them ready to move

A skill that lets you do a movement without thinking after much practice

muscle cell
  • Specialized
7 3.0

A long body cell that makes muscles move by becoming shorter and longer

muscle relaxant
  • Specialized
6 3.7

A drug that makes muscles less tight to reduce pain or spasms

muscle fiber
  • Specialized
5 3.4

A long cell in the body that gets shorter to make the body move

A part of the belly that helps move the body and keep it upright

skeletal muscle
  • Specialized
4 3.8

A body part attached to bones that pulls them to move the body, often with stripes

facial muscle
  • Specialized
4 3.3

A part of the face that moves skin to make expressions

muscle contraction
  • Specialized
3 3.4

A muscle that becomes shorter or tighter and causes movement and tension

A way of training and eating to make muscles bigger and stronger

pectoral muscle
  • Specialized
3 3.9

A large chest muscle that helps move the shoulder and upper arm

eye muscle
  • Specialized
2 3.4

A small body part around the eye that moves the eyeball

2 7.4

People paid to protect or scare others

involuntary muscle
  • Specialized
2 4.2

A muscle in organs like the stomach or bladder that works without you thinking, not the heart

smooth muscle
  • Specialized
2 3.9

Muscle in the walls of organs and blood vessels that works without thinking

love muscle
  • Offensive
2 9.8

A slang name for an upper arm or chest muscle men show off, sometimes meaning a man's penis

cardiac muscle
  • Specialized
1 3.8

Muscle in the heart that contracts regularly to pump blood

1 3.4

A firm muscle with clear shape that comes from regular exercise

sphincter muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A ring of muscle that closes an opening in the body

1 7.2

A thick muscle on each side of the neck that helps you turn and bend your head

intercostal muscle
  • Specialized
1 6.1

Thin bands between the ribs that tighten to help you breathe in

ocular muscle
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A small muscle around the eye that moves the eyeball

cheek muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A part of the face that flattens the cheek and pulls back the corner of the mouth

muscle system
  • Specialized
1 2.6

A group of muscles and other body parts that make the body move

voluntary muscle
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A part of the body you can move when you want that moves bones

striated muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A type of body tissue with light and dark stripes that moves bones when you want

gluteal muscle
  • Specialized
1 3.8

A large muscle at the back of the hip that moves the thigh and forms the buttock

papillary muscle
  • Specialized
1 7.0

Small heart muscle that pulls valves to stop blood flowing back to the upper chambers when the heart beats

deltoid muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A large triangular shoulder muscle that lifts and turns the arm

adductor muscle
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A muscle that pulls a body part toward the middle of the body

trapezius muscle
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A large flat muscle on the upper back and neck that moves the shoulders and arms

gluteus muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A large muscle in the buttock that moves the thigh

extensor muscle
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A muscle that straightens a part of the body when it pulls

glute muscle
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A part of the buttocks that makes the hip and thigh move

A person who exercises to make large, strong muscles

teres muscle
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A small shoulder muscle that helps move and turn the upper arm

1 5.6

Muscle that has visible light and dark bands, like heart and arm muscles

1 9.9

A gay man, often a bodybuilder, with a very large, strong body who likes to show it

smooth muscle cell
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A long thin cell that makes muscle in organs and blood vessels move without you controlling it

abductor muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A muscle that moves a limb or other body part away from the body's middle

flexor muscle
  • Specialized
1 4.2

A muscle that bends a joint, like when you bend your elbow

A person who exercises to build very large, strong muscles

soleus muscle
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A flat part at the back of the lower leg that bends the foot down at the ankle

A powder or drink taken to help muscles grow

1 6.1

A flat deep stomach muscle that helps keep the middle of the body stable

gastrocnemius muscle
  • Specialized
1 6.5

A large muscle at the back of the lower leg that lifts the heel when you stand on tiptoe

retractor muscle
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A muscle that pulls a body part back toward the body

rhomboid muscle
  • Specialized
1 6.6

A muscle in the upper back between the spine and shoulder blade that helps move and hold it

sartorius muscle
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A long thin thigh muscle that helps rotate the leg and cross one leg

muscle sense
  • Specialized
1 6.3

Ability to feel where your body parts are and how they move without looking

teres major muscle
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A muscle in the upper back that moves the arm and turns it inward

temporalis muscle
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A large fan-shaped muscle on the side of the head that helps raise and close the lower jaw

1 5.1

A flat muscle on each side of the stomach that helps twist the body and pull in the waist

antagonistic muscle
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A muscle that works against another to control movement at a joint

lateral rectus muscle
  • Specialized
1 6.4

A muscle on the outer side of the eye that turns the eye outward away from the nose

1 7.2

A thin muscle under the larger chest muscle that moves the shoulder blade down and forward

striated muscle cell
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A long muscle cell with light and dark bands that contracts to make movements you choose

buccinator muscle
  • Specialized
8.4

A thin muscle in the cheek that presses the cheek against the teeth to hold food or help blow air

cowl muscle
  • Specialized
9.6

A flat triangular part at the top of the back that moves and supports the shoulder and arm

depressor muscle
  • Specialized
6.2

A muscle that pulls a part of the body down

A flat slanted muscle on each side of the belly that helps turn and support the upper body

abducens muscle
  • Specialized
8.6

A muscle that moves the eye outward away from the nose

anconeous muscle
  • Specialized
8.6

A small muscle at the back of the elbow that helps straighten the arm

4.8

A muscle that helps turn the shoulder blade and lift the ribs

articular muscle
  • Specialized
7.5

A muscle that attaches to the covering of a joint and helps keep the joint steady

axial muscle
  • Specialized
6.8

A muscle in the trunk or head that moves and supports the spine

8.0

A muscle in the upper back under the trapezius that pulls the shoulder blade toward the spine and slightly up

medial rectus muscle
  • Specialized
5.5

Muscle on the inner side of the eye that moves the eye toward the nose

Molson muscle
  • Canadian
9.9

A round, soft belly that grows from drinking a lot of beer

muscle woman
  • Slang
8.6

A woman paid to protect someone or to scare people

great adductor muscle
  • Specialized
8.0

A large inner thigh muscle that pulls the leg toward the middle of the body and moves it backward

How Forceful

to barge in
  • Informal
65 5.5
to muscle
  • Informal
20 6.6
to squeeze
130 2.8
to edge in
2 5.3

Surface Forms

muscle infinitive
muscled past
muscled past participle
muscling present participle
muscles third person singular

Etymology

To muscle in or to muscle through comes from the idea of using physical strength to push your way into a place or situation. So to muscle your way somewhere is to force your way in by strength or pressure.