joust

1 of 2

verb

ˈjau̇st 

sometimes

ˈjəst 

or

ˈjüst 

jousted; jousting; jousts

intransitive verb

1

a

: to fight on horseback as a knight or man-at-arms

b

: to engage in combat with lances on horseback

2

: to engage in combat or competition as if in a joust

jousting debaters

jousting bighorn rams

jouster noun

joust

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a combat on horseback between two knights with lances especially as part of a tournament

b

jousts plural : tournament

2

: a personal combat or competition : struggle

Examples of joust in a Sentence

Verb

The knights jousted against each other.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There’s ample room in its four seasons for peasant rebellions, Henry’s debilitating leg injury, jousting matches, and church reform as contact sport amid the pulpy erotic drama. —Elle Carroll, Vulture, 18 June 2024

She is encircled by famous surnames—men jousting over her identity. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025

Noun

The pair spectacularly fell out at the back end of last year, amid a series of less than edifying verbal jousts. —Dan Cancian, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

The early legal jousts over the executive order could also be a prelude to other efforts, in Congress or via a constitutional amendment, to reform birthright citizenship. —Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French juster to unite, joust, from Vulgar Latin *juxtare, from Latin juxta near; akin to Latin jungere to join — more at yoke

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for joust

• doused
• faust
• oust

Kids Definition

joust

noun

ˈjau̇st

: a combat on horseback between two knights with lances especially as part of a tournament

joust verb

jouster noun