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Glite Dictionary
to push one's way through

to push one's way through

4 3.9
Move forward by getting past people or things blocking the way
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : abrirse paso
  • When I arrived, I had to push my way through the crowd.
  • pushed his way through the crowd
  • push his way through the mob
  • pushed his way through the door

Examples

  • At the base, I pushed my way through the last stretch of brush.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Maxim climbs down after him, pushing his way through the fans to Alain.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Lowrey, only moments behind, pushed his way through the same path.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • A tall figure, mantled in black and red, pushed his way through the moiling crowd.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The man who had emerged from the restaurant pushed his way through the people crowding under the awning.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Delores climbed off the podium and pushed her way through the crowd to where Zark stood.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Regina Ortega de Carlos Alvadaro pursued close behind, pushing her way through townspeople and tourists.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • When I arrived, I had to push my way through the crowd to find my friends.

  • She had to push her way through the dense foliage to reach the trail.

  • He pushed his way through the line to get to the front before the show started.

Synonyms

to push
vsto push one's way through
∞ 1.0

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

is specifically about advancing forward by forcing a path through obstacles
to move through
vsto push one's way through
80 2.1

Pass from one point to another during a journey or process

is narrower, focusing on forward motion achieved by forcing through obstacles
to thrust
vsto push one's way through
66 3.9

To push something or someone suddenly and forcefully forward

focuses instead on sustained forward movement by forcing a passage through obstacles
to break through
vsto push one's way through
43 3.7

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

is similar but specifically involves making a path through people or crowds
to muscle
vsto push one's way through
  • Informal
39 6.6

To push into a place using physical strength or influence

is about physically forcing forward specifically through crowds or barriers
to pass through
vsto push one's way through
  • Jargon
14 5.2

To move across an enemy line to reach the other side

applies more to personal forward forcing through people or obstacles in daily contexts
to push forward
vsto push one's way through
6 3.6

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

focuses on making forward progress by forcing passage through obstacles
to push aside
vsto push one's way through
6 2.1

Move something or someone out of the way with your hands

focuses more on continuing forward by making space through people or objects
to plough one's way through
vsto push one's way through
  • UK
1 7.4

To move forward with difficulty through people or things with effort

places more emphasis on forcing a clear path through people
to bull through
vsto push one's way through
  • Informal
1 8.1

To push something through when others strongly oppose it

is more narrowly about moving forward by making a physical passage through people
to push one's way past
vsto push one's way through
  • Informal
5.6

Move forward through a crowd by forcing people aside with your body

is specifically about forcing a path through people or obstacles
to bullrush through
vsto push one's way through
  • UK
8.9

Move quickly through a crowd while pushing people aside

describes steady forward forcing through a crowd rather than a rapid charge
to thrust ahead
vsto push one's way through
5.7

To push forward through a crowd to get ahead

is the general idea of forcing a passage through people or objects
to make one's way
vsto push one's way through
3.4

To move forward through a place despite problems

stresses making forward progress by physically forcing passage through people or barriers

Antonyms

to withdraw
466 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

to recede
29 4.8

To move back or become less strong

How Forceful

to barge
  • Informal
42 6.0
to push one's way through
4 3.9
squeeze
4 3.0
to thread
17 5.9

Surface Forms

push one's way through infinitive
pushed one's way through past
pushed one's way through past participle
pushing one's way through present participle
pushes one's way through third person singular

Morphology

push + one's + way + through

The meaning 'to move forward by forcing a passage through people or obstacles' is directly and compositionally derived from 'push' (apply force) + 'one's way' (one's route or movement) + 'through' (from one side to the other). This is a common motion/force construction found across languages and follows transparent English composition patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Push one's way through comes from the clear picture of someone using their hands and body to push forward and move through people or things in a tight space, like forcing a path in a crowded market. So it means 'to move forward by forcing a passage through people or obstacles'.