Empurrado

Empurrado is the Portuguese past participle and adjective derived from the verb empurrar, meaning to push. It denotes something that has been pushed or someone who has been pushed. The word agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes: empurrado (masculine singular), empurrada (feminine singular), empurrados (masculine plural), and empurradas (feminine plural.

In usage, empurrado appears in both passive constructions and as a descriptive adjective. Examples include: “O portão foi empurrado pela ventania” (the gate was pushed by the wind) and “A pessoa ficou empurrada pela multidão” (the person was pushed by the crowd). It can also describe a state resulting from action, as in “a porta ficou empurrada” (the door ended up being pushed).

Metaphorically, empurrado can convey pressure or coercion, not only physical displacement. Common expressions include phrases such as “empurrado pela necessidade,” meaning driven or pushed by necessity, or “empurrar alguém a tomar uma decisão,” where the sense is to compel someone to decide, though in the latter case the related verb empurrar is typically used.

Relation to other forms: empurrar is the transitive verb meaning to push, and empurrado is its past participle used adjectivally or in passive voice. Related terms include empurrão (a shove) and the broader family of verbs derived from push-related roots in Portuguese.

Geographic and stylistic notes: empurrado is widely understood across Portuguese-speaking regions, with standard usage in both formal and informal contexts. While synonymous in many contexts with “pressionado” or “forçado” in a metaphorical sense, empurrado emphasizes the act of being physically pushed or forcibly moved, or the result of that action.

See also: empurrar, empurrão, pressão.