Rush — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adjective /ˈrəsh/

Meaning & Definition of Rush

Rush (noun)

  1. 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
  2. a quick forceful forward motion
  3. attack, onset
  4. a surging of emotion

Rush (verb)

  1. to move forward, progress, or act with haste or eagerness or without preparation
  2. to flow or move very quickly in a particular direction —sometimes used figuratively
  3. to advance a football by running plays

Rush (adjective)

  1. requiring or marked by special speed or urgency

Rush (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause to move or proceed fast or faster

    "I wouldn't make so many mistakes if you'd stop rushing me"

    similar: accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry, quicken, speed (up), whisk
    related: drive, goad, prod, propel, push, race, spur, stir, urge, aid, dispatch, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate
    opposite: brake, decelerate, retard, slow (down)
    near: delay, encumber, fetter, hamper, hinder, hobble, hold back, hold up, impede, interfere (with), manacle, rein (in), restrain, shackle, tie up, trammel, arrest, check, stall, stay, still, stop

  2. to flow out in great quantities or with force

    "in the spring the stream's rushing waters make crossing treacherous"

    similar: gush, jet, pour, spew, spout, spurt, squirt, swoosh
    related: cascade, issue, roll, run, stream, plash, slosh, splash, wash, surge, swell, flush, sluice, deluge, drown, engulf, flood, inundate, overflow, overwhelm, submerge, submerse, swamp, fountain
    opposite: dribble, drip, drop, trickle
    near: spatter, sprinkle, bleed, exude, leak, ooze, percolate, seep, strain, weep

  3. to proceed or move quickly

    "rushing is a good way to slip and fall"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, run, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

  4. to take sudden, violent action against

    "one goat suddenly rushed the other and knocked it down"

    similar: assail, assault, attack, beset, bushwhack, charge, descend (on or upon), go in (on), jump (on), pounce (on or upon), raid, set on, sic, storm, strike, trash, turn (on), beat up on, fly at, go at, light into, pitch into, round on, set at, set upon, tear into
    related: bum-rush, gang up (on), mob, swarm, mug, rob, ambuscade, ambush, surprise, waylay, blitz, bomb, bombard, nuke, barrage, cannon, cannonade, bang away (at), batter, buffet, plaster, beleaguer, besiege, press, harry, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, foray, invade, overrun, envelop, flank
    near: cover, defend, guard, protect, secure, shield

Rush (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. excited and often showy or disorderly speed

    "what's the reason for all this rush?"

    similar: haste, hastiness, hurry, hustle, precipitation, precipitousness
    related: bustle, flurry, flutter, scurry, scuttle, stir, whirl, beeline, dash, scramble, stampede, hotheadedness, impetuosity, impetuousness, impulsiveness, impulsivity, rashness, expedition, expeditiousness, fastness, fleetness, quickness, rapidity, rapidness, speed, speediness, swiftness, velocity, celerity, dispatch, promptitude, promptness
    opposite: deliberateness, deliberation
    near: dilatoriness, lateness, pokiness, procrastination, slowness, languor, leisureliness, lethargy, sluggishness, torpor, dormancy, inaction, inactivity, inertia, inertness, quiescence

  2. the act or action of setting upon with force or violence

    "the regiment recaptured the hill with a single rush"

    similar: aggression, assault, attack, attempt, blitz, blitzkrieg, charge, coup de main, descent, offense, offensive, onset, onslaught, raid, strike
    related: ambuscade, ambush, counteraggression, counterassault, counterattack, counteroffensive, counterstrike, sally, sortie, envelopment, flanking, breakthrough, foray, incursion, invasion, pillage, ravage, sack, air raid, bombardment, bombing, siege, storm, barrage, cannonade, fusillade, hail, salvo, volley, whammy
    near: defense, defensive, guard, shield, opposition, resistance, protection, security, shelter

  3. a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings

    "riding my motorcycle over these winding roads is always an adrenaline-pumping rush"

    similar: bang, boot, charge, exhilaration, frisson, jollies, kick, thrill, titillation, wallop
    related: arousal, buzz, electrification, high, intoxication, jolt, shock, surprise, delectation, delight, enjoyment, joy, lift, pleasure, amusement, diversion, entertainment, fun, treat

Rush (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in impromptu, spontaneous

    similar: horseback, impromptu, makeshift, offhand, offhanded, off-the-cuff, slapdash, snap, spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment, quick, rapid, speedy, swift, abrupt, sudden, headstrong, heady, hotheaded, impatient, impetuous, impulsive, madcap, reckless, unadvised, breakneck, breathtaking, cursory, drive-by, flying, gadarene, hasty, headlong, helter-skelter, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell, precipitate, precipitous, rash, rushed
    opposite: deliberate, unhurried, unrushed, calculated, calculating, measured, circumspect, foresighted, forethoughtful, drawn-out, extended, long-term, prolonged, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, tentative, dallying, dawdling, laggard, leisurely, poky, shilly-shallying, slow

Related Entry: Bum's rush (noun)

Bum's rush is a different word from Rush. The synonyms below are for bum's rush, not for rush.

  1. as in sack, bird

    similar: bird (chiefly British), boot, downsizing, firing, heave-ho, sack, pink slip, closing, shutdown, ax, discharge, dismissal, furlough, layoff, redundancy (chiefly British), shakeout, shake-up
    opposite: callback, recall, reemployment, rehire, rehiring

Related Entry: Bum-rush (verb)

Bum-rush is a different word from Rush. The synonyms below are for bum-rush, not for rush.

  1. as in swarm, mob

    similar: gang up (on), mob, swarm, assail, assault, attack, beset, bushwhack, charge, descend (on or upon), go in (on), jump (on), pounce (on or upon), raid, rush, set on, sic, storm, strike, trash, turn (on), mug, rob, ambuscade, ambush, surprise, waylay, blitz, bomb, bombard, nuke, barrage, cannon, cannonade, bang away (at), batter, buffet, plaster, beleaguer, besiege, press, harry, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, foray, invade, overrun
    opposite: cover, defend, guard, protect, secure, shield

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Rush

The most common words with a similar meaning to Rush:

Slang: bomb
accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry, quicken, speed (up), whisk, gush, jet, pour, spew, spout, spurt, squirt, swoosh, barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bowl, breeze, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Rush

Words with the opposite meaning of Rush:

brake, decelerate, retard, slow (down), dribble, drip, drop, trickle, crawl, creep, poke, deliberateness, deliberation, deliberate, unhurried, unrushed, calculated, calculating, measured, circumspect, foresighted, forethoughtful, drawn-out, extended, long-term, prolonged, faltering, hesitant, hesitating, tentative

Related Words for Rush

goad, prod, propel, push, spur, stir, urge, aid, dispatch, ease, encourage, expedite, facilitate, cascade, issue, roll, stream, plash, slosh, splash, wash, surge, swell, flush, sluice, deluge, drown, engulf, flood, inundate

Near Antonyms of Rush

delay, encumber, fetter, hamper, hinder, hobble, hold back, hold up, impede, interfere (with), manacle, rein (in), restrain, shackle, tie up, trammel, arrest, check, stall, stay, still, stop, spatter, sprinkle, bleed, exude, leak, ooze, percolate, seep

Word Forms of Rush

Inflections: rushed, rushing, rushes

Derived words: rushy (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Rush

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

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Rush

Words & Phrases Containing Rush

rush candle, rush hour, rush out, bull rush, bum-rush

Frequently Asked Questions about Rush

What does "Rush" mean?

"Rush" means 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. As an a noun, a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: 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. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Rush"?

Other words for "Rush" include accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry, quicken, speed (up) and whisk. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Rush" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Rush"?

There are 311 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Rush". Common alternatives include accelerate, bundle, fast-track, hasten, hurry, quicken, speed (up), whisk, gush and jet.

What is the opposite of "Rush"?

Antonyms of "Rush" include brake, decelerate, retard, slow (down), dribble, drip, drop and trickle. Near antonyms include delay, encumber, fetter and hamper.

How do you use "Rush" in a sentence?

Examples of "Rush" in a sentence: "I wouldn't make so many mistakes if you'd stop rushing me"; "in the spring the stream's rushing waters make crossing treacherous"; "rushing is a good way to slip and fall".

Is "Rush" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Rush" can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Rush" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Rush" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Rush"?

"Rush" is pronounced /ˈrəsh/.