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

The jawbone was determined by researchers from the New York State Museum and SUNY Orange to be from a mastodon, an ancient elephant-like species that went extinct around 10,000 years ago. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024

A little more than three years after the December 1987 wreck, a human jawbone was found at Houda Point near Trinidad, California, deputies said. —Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 8 July 2024

Verb

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

University leaders in Wisconsin, North Carolina, North Dakota, Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas have capitulated to jawboning efforts, shuttering DEI offices and LGBTQ studies programs when they are not required by law to do so. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 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