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

Acosta jousted regularly with the Trump administration during his time as a White House correspondent. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025

Riders joust with each other about three times before moving on to other competitors. —Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 12 Mar. 2024

Noun

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

Verbal jousts with pundits, including former Milan executive Zvonimir Boban, before Champions League games have since been followed by a disquieting quiet from someone historically unafraid to speak his mind. —James Horncastle, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

joust

noun

ˈjau̇st

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

joust verb

jouster noun