1
as in to brush
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
accidentally nudged me as they squeezed past
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the car salesman nudged me into taking a test-drive, even though I had said that I was just looking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of nudge
Evan Clark, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
While on a high school field trip to see the British literature art collection at Yale University, a teacher nudged Riccoboni to skip the literature-centric exhibit and instead pop into a nearby gallery to see Hockney’s work.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
This direction—padding the ensemble with social-media-friendly faces—represents more of a nudge toward the future than a massive overhaul.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Verb
Blundy first bought into Victoria’s Secret in 2022 and has been trying to nudge the company both behind the scenes and in public.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
While on a high school field trip to see the British literature art collection at Yale University, a teacher nudged Riccoboni to skip the literature-centric exhibit and instead pop into a nearby gallery to see Hockney’s work.
—Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
Over time, Mallos said, an EPR system will create an economic incentive to reduce waste, providing a nudge for businesses to move toward less problematic packaging.
—Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
This direction—padding the ensemble with social-media-friendly faces—represents more of a nudge toward the future than a massive overhaul.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudge
Verb
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Organic and lightly brushed with salmonella and fecal matter.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Nov. 2025
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Daily baguette runs to the local bakery – an errand that Anract says used to be as automatic and ritualistic as brushing teeth – have become less frequent.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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During that visit, then Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo urged Francis in unusually frank terms to take concrete action.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Sauer urged the high court to issue its ruling quickly, noting that it is currently required to use Section 32 funding to send full SNAP benefits by tonight due to McConnell’s order.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The Chinese retailer, known for its range of cheap ultra-fast-fashion clothing and criticisms of its labor and environmental practices, is nestled on the sixth floor of a more than century-old building in Paris, a city famous for high-end fashion and a recent green push.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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The company’s board of directors now uses a proprietary AI assistant, trained on internal data, to provide real-time advice — part of a broader push to deploy the technology across all aspects of its operations.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is pressing charges against a man who was caught on camera touching and attempting to kiss her during a public appearance on Tuesday.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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In a separate celebratory speech that evening, the pair shared another sweet moment at the podium in which Mamdani kissed her on the cheek.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Her administration has encouraged the siting of data centers in Michigan through sales and use tax exemptions.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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For example, toddlers will benefit from toys that encourage them to build gross motor skills and work on early speech and literacy skills.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Tonight, Al Roker and his Weather Hunter team will be in attendance, anticipating a bevy of soulful classics, including oxtail, ribs, fries, mac and cheese and jerk chicken.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
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Dig into Caribbean jerk chicken pizza at Blackstone Pub downtown or savor a few slices topped with spicy meatballs and peppadews served with a waterfront view at Little Bridge Marina’s Pizza Kitchen.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Because at the end of the day, pixels may reach us, but print touches us.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
10 Nov. 2025
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Armed with small handheld RFID readers, thieves can wirelessly scan credit cards or passports from a short distance to capture chip data and clone cards without ever touching your wallet.—
Claire Gallam,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudge. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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