pusher

[ poosh-er ]

noun

1. a person or thing that pushes.
2. Slang. a peddler of illegal drugs.
3. Aeronautics. an airplane that is driven by pusher propellers.
4. Nautical. one of the masts abaft the mizzen on a sailing vessel having more than three masts, either the sixth or seventh from forward. Compare driver ( def 10b ), spanker ( def 1b ).
5. Railroads. a helper attached to the rear of a train, usually to provide extra power for climbing a steep grade.

pusher

/ ˈpʊʃə /

noun

1. informal.
   a person who sells illegal drugs, esp narcotics such as heroin and morphine
2. informal.
   an actively or aggressively ambitious person
3. 1. a type of aircraft propeller placed behind the engine
   2. a type of aircraft using such a propeller
4. a person or thing that pushes
5. a rakelike implement used by small children to push food onto a spoon
6. the usual name for pushchair

Word History and Origins

Origin of pusher¹

First recorded in 1585–95; push + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The woman said he fitted the police description of a man who pushed people into the canal in 2022, and she asked him if he was the "canal pusher".

From BBC

His amusement arcade offers traditional slot machines and penny pushers, alongside brand new video games.

From BBC

His victims, we hear, are the “deserving” type: traffickers, pushers, that ilk.

From Los Angeles Times

“They sent my son over there as a paper pusher and then had the Taliban outside providing security,” Mr. Nikoui said at the time, according to the news organization.

From New York Times

In an indictment unsealed after his death, federal prosecutors accused Munoz of collecting a “tax” from pushers who sold drugs in motels, bars and parking lots in Wilmington.

From Los Angeles Times