A projectile, either a crossbow bolt or an arrow, having a compressible nock. The projectile has a shaft having a front end portion and a rear end portion, an arrow point positioned on the front end portion of the shaft, multiple vanes extending from the shaft between the front end portion and the rear end portion, and a nock at least partially extending from the rear end portion. The nock has a compressible end portion that is compressible toward the shaft to maintain the nock on a bowstring when the bolt is launched. In an example case, the rear end portion is flat at its rear surface and, when the bolt is launched from a crossbow, the bowstring deforms the compressible end portion of the nock to form a groove or notch in which the bowstring is seated while the bolt is launched.