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Glite Dictionary
jolty

jolty

1 7.4
Moving with sudden, uneven bumps that make you feel unsteady
  • adjective
  • /ˈdʒoʊlti/
translation icon : sacudido
  • The car made a jolty stop when the driver slammed on the brakes.

Examples

  • This old bus is quite jolty.

  • The ride was so jolty that I couldn’t keep my drink from spilling.

  • After the earthquake, the elevator ride felt unusually jolty and unsettling.

  • Her voice grew jolty with excitement as she described the roller coaster ride.

  • The jolty carriage made reading impossible on the journey.

  • The ride was very jolty!

  • He experienced a jolty sensation in his body every time the train went over a bump.

Synonyms

rough
vsjolty
164 1.0

Not smooth and often harsh in sound

is specific to sudden sharp shocks and abrupt irregular movement
bumpy
vsjolty
68 1.0

A surface or movement that is not smooth and has small raised parts

is more about sudden irregular shocks rather than surface roughness
shaky
vsjolty
59 2.1

Not steady and trembling, often from fear, cold, or tiredness

is about sudden abrupt shocks rather than continuous trembling
jerky
vsjolty
48 4.3

Moving in sudden, uneven ways that are not smooth

is more about causing sharp abrupt shocks rather than merely uneven movement
rocky
vsjolty
9 3.0

Something that moves in an unsteady way with sudden bumps

is more about sudden sharp shocks rather than general unsteadiness
jumpy
vsjolty
4 3.9

Moving in sudden small jumps instead of smoothly

is about causing abrupt shocks rather than general unsteadiness
spasmodic
vsjolty
2 8.1

Happening suddenly in short, irregular bursts or movements

is used more generally for irregular movement, not only brief bursts
herky
vsjolty
  • Informal
1 9.9

Moving in sudden, awkward jerks

is more about causing sharp abrupt shocks than awkward unsteady motion
jolting
vsjolty
5.0

Causing a sudden rough movement or shock

is the same meaning but appears as a shorter adjective form
jerkish
vsjolty
8.0

Moving in short, sudden, uneven movements

is focused on causing abrupt shocks rather than brief uneven actions
whiplashy
vsjolty
8.2

A sudden, sharp jerk in the neck or body that you feel after a quick move

is similar but focuses on sudden sharp shocks without injury implication
bumpity
vsjolty
  • Informal
7.7

Rough and uneven so you feel small jolts

is focused on abrupt shocks rather than many small uneven lumps
jiggety
vsjolty
  • UK
9.3

Lively and bouncy in a way that looks jerky

is more about sharp abrupt shocks rather than playful bouncing
spasmic
vsjolty
7.9

Happening in sudden short uncontrolled movements or bursts

is broader, referring to abrupt irregular movement rather than medical muscle fits

Antonyms

smooth
256 1.0

A surface that is even and not rough

to steady
41 3.4

To make yourself or something stop moving

How Jarring

jolty
1 7.4
jerky
48 4.3
bumpy
68 1.0
smooth
204 1.0

Surface Forms

jolty positive
joltier comparative
joltiest superlative

Morphology

jolty = jolt (transparent) = jolt + y

The adjective is directly formed from 'jolt' + '-y' meaning 'characterized by jolts', which is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Jolty comes from the short verb jolt, which means a 'sudden push' or 'shake'. So something jolty gives quick, uneven movements and feels bumpy or start-stop.