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
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
The state in recent months has begun nudging the river district and the eight groundwater districts within the basin to begin taking more concrete steps to slow the depletion.
—Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026
Warming can nudge spring growth earlier, leaving the berry and nut crops bears rely on exposed when a hard freeze follows, and in northwestern Nevada the years with a late final freeze brought more conflict with people and more bears killed by managers.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
The nurturing Moon enters your 6th House of Daily Routine, nudging you to set a clear calendar block that protects your focus.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
The app reads flights and stays, checks ahead, then nudges travelers toward choices that may save them from last‑minute airport purchases or an overstuffed suitcase filled with the wrong gear.
—Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Miami Herald, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
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Allen Best, Denver Post, 14 June 2026
Warming can nudge spring growth earlier, leaving the berry and nut crops bears rely on exposed when a hard freeze follows, and in northwestern Nevada the years with a late final freeze brought more conflict with people and more bears killed by managers.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
The nurturing Moon enters your 6th House of Daily Routine, nudging you to set a clear calendar block that protects your focus.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
The app reads flights and stays, checks ahead, then nudges travelers toward choices that may save them from last‑minute airport purchases or an overstuffed suitcase filled with the wrong gear.
—Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Miami Herald, 9 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 17 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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