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
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
What Wheeler ultimately crafted nudges its way somewhere between the rooftop tent and camper markets.
—New Atlas, 28 Oct. 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
Research has found, however, that attempts to nudge patrons toward healthier habits have had mixed results, and some critics say New York's small spoon symbol may not catch customers' attention.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
What Wheeler ultimately crafted nudges its way somewhere between the rooftop tent and camper markets.
—New Atlas, 28 Oct. 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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Use your hands to brush off or shake excess soil from the roots.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
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The skewers of meat brushed with soy and roasted over coals on Belém’s streets arrived with Japanese migration to the region from the 1930s onward.—
Michael Snyder,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Porat closed by urging leaders to really dig in and reimagine what’s possible in their own organizations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Anyone with information regarding this incident was urged to contact the Chandler Police Department at 480-782-4130.—
Wren Smetana,
AZCentral.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Paul Taylor What the data says Forest’s Champions League push collapsed last season after wasteful finishing, and that profligacy has carried over into the new campaign.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The timeline of the new push aligns with an unprecedented extension of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mandate, who is now set to stay in office for an additional two years past his original 2028 exit date.—
Tawanda Karombo,
semafor.com,
31 Oct. 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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Instead of scrolling through Instagram—or, admittedly, hitting the snooze button a few too many times—Vig encourages you to spend that time sprucing up your space.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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Police are encouraging anyone with knowledge of the crash to come forward with further details.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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Gave the two jerks her very best.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Zhao, by contrast, needs eight hours of sleep and doesn’t touch the edit during production.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 Nov. 2025
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Traditionally, only men are allowed to touch the poles.—
Anthony Kuhn,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudge. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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