nodded; nodding
1
: to make a quick downward motion of the head whether deliberately (as in expressing assent or salutation) or involuntarily (as from drowsiness)
She nodded in agreement.
The guard nodded to us as we walked in.
He sat nodding by the fire.
2
: to incline or sway from the vertical as though ready to fall
signposts nodding in the wind
3
: to bend or sway the upper part gently downward or forward : bob gently
the plumes that nodded on his helmet
nodding flowers on long stems
4
: to make a slip or error in a moment of abstraction
… Fuentes nods, and his language then falls into … an overly learned mumbo-jumbo that stops the drama of his action.—
Robert Maurer
Robert Maurer1
: to incline downward or forward
nodded his head in agreement
2
: to bring, invite, or send by a nod
nodded us in
3
: to signify by a nod
nodded their approval
nodder
noun
1
: the act or an instance of nodding
gave a nod of greeting
2
: an indication especially of approval or recognition
Examples of nod in a Sentence
Verb
She nodded when I asked her if she was ready.
I asked her if she could hear me, and she nodded her head.
“The bathroom is around the corner,” he said, nodding to the left.
She nodded toward the dirty dishes and said she would get to them later.
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Even cursory nods to the pandemic as the root cause of neighbors turning against neighbors aren’t explored so much as they’re acknowledged, as if viewers are somehow unaware of the polarization plaguing America.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2026
The Kamm tail, with its upturned spoiler and flat panel adorned with Ferrari’s signature twin round taillights, is a nod to aerodynamics that prefigures the shape of the Lusso’s spiritual successor, the 275 GTB.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nod
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Verb
Jordan Stolz, sitting opposite of the finish line staring at a large video board, looked at his coach and nodded.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Even cursory nods to the pandemic as the root cause of neighbors turning against neighbors aren’t explored so much as they’re acknowledged, as if viewers are somehow unaware of the polarization plaguing America.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
In one image, she’s seated at a table with a cheeseburger on a golden platter, flanked by miniature American and Puerto Rican flags — a playful nod to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2026
The Kamm tail, with its upturned spoiler and flat panel adorned with Ferrari’s signature twin round taillights, is a nod to aerodynamics that prefigures the shape of the Lusso’s spiritual successor, the 275 GTB.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nod
Cite this Entry
“Nod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nod. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nod
1 of 2 verb
nodded; nodding
1
: to bend the head downward or forward (as in bowing or going to sleep or as a way of answering "yes")
2
: to move up and down
the tulips nodded in the breeze
3
: to show by a nod of the head
nod agreement
4
: to let one's attention roam for a moment and make an error
nodder
noun
nod
2 of 2 noun
: the action of nodding
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