nudged; nudging
1
: to touch or push gently
… nudged the cue ball with the tip of the cue.—
Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux
especially
: to seek the attention of by a push of the elbow
… nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy … —J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling 2
: to prod lightly : urge into action
… have been nudged into starting their own ventures …—Janet Bamford
Janet Bamford3
: approach
… its circulation is nudging the four million mark …—Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf
: to give a nudge
She nudged and jostled through the crowd.
nudge
noun
nudger
noun
Examples of nudge in a Sentence
Verb
I nudged the plate closer to him.
The guard nudged the prisoner forward.
The dog nudged the ball with his nose.
He nudged me and pointed to the deer.
The salesman nudged her into testing out the car.
Album sales are nudging the one million mark.
The price of gold has nudged a little higher.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
Families can play a vital role in nudging dads towards these life-extending steps.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
The administration frames the free model as a deliberate effort to route economic activity and equity toward small businesses, backed by a Five Borough Winners Special promotion nudging fans into neighborhood bars and restaurants rather than FIFA’s perimeter.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 June 2026
Upcoming inflation and jobs reports carry outsized weight, too, since each release nudges investor expectations about where the Fed heads next.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
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Verb
An intuitive Moon crosses your 10th House of Career while Saturn, planet of lessons, rests in your 5th House of Creativity, and their quincunx nudges you to refine spotlight plans with care.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
Families can play a vital role in nudging dads towards these life-extending steps.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
The administration frames the free model as a deliberate effort to route economic activity and equity toward small businesses, backed by a Five Borough Winners Special promotion nudging fans into neighborhood bars and restaurants rather than FIFA’s perimeter.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 19 June 2026
Upcoming inflation and jobs reports carry outsized weight, too, since each release nudges investor expectations about where the Fed heads next.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nudge. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nudge
verb
nudged; nudging
: to touch or push gently
especially
: to attract the attention of by a push of the elbow
nudge
noun
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