Verb
Their horses refused to budge.
The door was stuck, and we couldn't even get it to budge.
Could you try opening this jar for me? I can't budge the lid.
We tried to change her mind, but we couldn't budge her.
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Noun
When buyers flood the market, dealers can charge more even if spot barely budges.—Sharon Wu, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026 For what mental quality remains to forward our own and the world’s progress when two people stand in opposite corners and neither budges – when neither listens to or honors the other’s reasoning and desires?—Sharla Allard, Christian Science Monitor, 18 Nov. 2025
Verb
And Tillis isn’t budging on his vow to block the vote.—Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 Literally no one was surprised by this move and Apple’s stock barely budged on the news.—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
These spritzes have the same no-budge hold on makeup as any other setting mist, but the key difference lies in their radiant—not matte or shimmery—finishes.—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Apr. 2026 Despite the unprecedented capabilities – and uncanny, seemingly humanlike qualities – of generative AI, the limit on how much human work can be fully automated will continue to only very slowly budge.—Eric Siegel, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for budge
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English bugee, from Anglo-French buge
Verb
Anglo-French bouger, from Vulgar Latin *bullicare, from Latin bullire to boil — more at boil