juggernaut

noun

jug·​ger·​naut ˈjə-gər-ˌnȯt 

-ˌnät

1

: a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path

an advertising juggernaut

a political juggernaut

2

chiefly British : a large heavy truck

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The History of Juggernaut

In the early 14th century, Franciscan missionary Friar Odoric brought to Europe the story of an enormous carriage that carried an image of the Hindu god Vishnu (whose title was Jagannath, literally, "lord of the world") through the streets of India in religious processions. Odoric reported that some worshippers deliberately allowed themselves to be crushed beneath the vehicle's wheels as a sacrifice to Vishnu. That story was likely an exaggeration or misinterpretation of actual events, but it spread throughout Europe. The tale caught the imagination of English listeners, and they began using juggernaut to refer to any massive vehicle (such as a steam locomotive) and to any other enormous entity with powerful crushing capabilities.

Synonyms

• bandwagon
• blitz
• campaign
• cause
• crusade
• drive
• movement
• push

Examples of juggernaut in a Sentence

there was no escaping the juggernaut of hype for the studio's biggest summer blockbuster

Recent Examples on the Web

With over 170 million users in the U.S., TikTok has become a cultural juggernaut, influencing everything from political discourse to entertainment trends. —Nik Popli, TIME, 9 Jan. 2025

This industry’s lobbying juggernaut has its claws in both sides of the aisle in Congress. —Madeline Weil, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2025

Benetti became the industry’s superyacht juggernaut in yacht output, having launched 485 superyachts since 1985. —Robb Report Staff, Robb Report, 6 Jan. 2025

If successful, the combined entity could become a cultural juggernaut, particularly in the electric vehicle motor and automotive software markets. —Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Hindi Jagannāth, literally, lord of the world, title of Vishnu

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 2