Wegstoßen

Wegstoßen is a German verb formed from weg (away) and stoßen (to push). It means to push someone or something away, to shove aside, or to eject, and it can be used both physically and figuratively. The prefix weg- is separable, so in present tense forms you say, for example, ich stoße ihn weg, and in the perfect tense: ich habe ihn weggestoßen. The simple past is ich stieß ihn weg.

As a noun, das Wegstoßen refers to the act or process of pushing something or someone away. It can describe both a physical action and a figurative one, such as removing a person from a position or clearing a path for others. In everyday language it is common to pair the idea with related expressions like aus dem Weg räumen or jemanden aus dem Weg stoßen, which convey removing an obstacle or pushing someone aside.

Typical usage examples include: Er stieß ihn weg, damit er durchkommen konnte. (He shoved him out of the way so he could pass.) Der Wind stieß die Tür weg. (The wind blew the door away.) In figurative contexts one might speak of das Wegstoßen eines Politikers aus der Partei, though more natural phrasing would use ausdrücken wie Ausschluss or aus der Partei entfernen.

Related terms and contrasts include abstoßen, which is often used for repulsion or pushing away in physical or abstract senses, and aus dem Weg gehen, meaning to get out of someone’s way without necessarily pushing. Wegstoßen is more active and forceful than simply bypassing an obstacle.

See also: stoßen, aus dem Weg gehen, abstoßen, aus dem Weg räumen.