jawbone

1 of 2

noun

jaw·​bone ˈjȯ-ˌbōn 

: jaw sense 1a

especially : mandible

jawbone

2 of 2

verb

jawboned; jawboning; jawbones

transitive verb

: to speak forcefully and persuasively to

jawboned them into accepting the deal

intransitive verb

: to talk especially forcefully and persuasively

jawboning about the tax cuts

Examples of jawbone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

By 2023, the sideburns are gone, and Guthrie’s cheeks are clean-shaven down to his jawbone. —Rachel Clarke, CNN, 23 Sep. 2024

Ice Age Mastodon Died Nearly 100 Miles From Home In Bloody Battle By Jess Thomson Science Reporter 0 A New York homeowner found a very unexpected relic lurking just beneath his lawn while gardening: a jawbone from a long-extinct giant. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024

Verb

For one thing, Congress just showed the power of jawboning academic leaders into cleaning up their act. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025

But Trump must now spend most of his time jawboning GOP senators to back his nominees. —Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1965, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

jawbone

noun

jaw·​bone

ˈjȯ-ˈbōn,

-ˌbōn

: one of the bones of an animal's jaw

especially : mandible sense 1a

Medical Definition

jawbone

noun

jaw·​bone ˈjȯ-ˈbōn, -ˌbōn 

: jaw sense 1

especially : mandible