to push one's way past - Glite Dictionary

Examples

We had to push our way past the long line of people waiting outside the store.
The paramedics pushed their way past the reporters to reach the injured.
It's rude to push your way past people!
To board the bus, he pushed his way past the other passengers who were blocking the door.
The fireman pushed his way past the onlookers to reach the burning building.
She had to push her way past the dense crowd at the concert to get to her friend.

Synonyms

to push

vsto push one's way past

∞ 1.0

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

is specifically about advancing through people rather than moving objects generally

to shove

vsto push one's way past

497 2.7

Push someone or something roughly and quickly

is about steady progress through people rather than a single rough movement

to move through

vsto push one's way past

146 2.1

Pass from one point to another during a journey or process

involves forceful passage through people rather than a neutral movement between places

to press

vsto push one's way past

114 2.7

Move close together and push forward in a crowd

is about one person forcing forward through people rather than many people crowding

to break through

vsto push one's way past

99 3.7

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

refers more to moving through people than breaking solid physical barriers

to push aside

vsto push one's way past

35 2.1

Move something or someone out of the way with your hands

is about progressing forward through people rather than simply shifting things away

to push forward

vsto push one's way past

3 3.6

To move ahead by pushing people or things out of the way

focuses more on forcing through people rather than general forward motion

jostle

vsto push one's way past

1 4.8

A push or bump in a crowd to get past someone

describes stronger, continuous forcing progress through people rather than brief pushes

to make one's way

vsto push one's way past

1 3.4

To move forward through a place despite problems

is more forceful and involves physically pushing people aside rather than general progress

to thrust ahead

vsto push one's way past

1 5.7

To push forward through a crowd to get ahead

focuses more on making a path through people than a single sudden push

to push one's way through

vsto push one's way past

1 3.9

Move forward by getting past people or things blocking the way

is identical in meaning and phrasing to the main concept

to bullrush through

vsto push one's way past

UK

8.9

Move quickly through a crowd while pushing people aside

is similar but emphasizes steady physical forcing rather than speed

to plough one's way through

vsto push one's way past

UK

7.4

To move forward with difficulty through people or things with effort

is more about clearing a path by force rather than just slow effort

Antonyms

to retreat

225 4.0

To move back from a place or plan to avoid danger

to yield

74 4.3

To stop resisting under pressure or force

How Forceful

to barge

Informal

86 6.0

to push one's way past

Informal

5.6

to shove

497 2.7

squeeze

8 3.0

to sidle past

1 7.9

Surface Forms

push one's way past infinitive

pushed one's way past past

pushed one's way past past participle

pushing one's way past present participle

pushes one's way past third person singular

Morphology

push + one + way + past

The meaning is directly derivable from 'push' (apply force) combined with 'one's way' (make a path or progress) and 'past' (by/through), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer 'forcefully move through or by people/obstacles'. This is a compositional motion/passage construction common across languages rather than an idiomatic shift, making it immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrasal verb push one's way past creates the image of someone using their hands and shoulders to push forward and make a way through a crowd to get past people. That's why it means 'to force through a group or obstacle'.