fudge

verb

\ ˈfəj

fudged; fudging

Definition of fudge

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to devise as a substitute : fake

b : falsify fudged the figures

2 : to fail to come to grips with : dodge fudged the issue

intransitive verb

1 : to exceed the proper bounds or limits of something feel that the author has fudged a little on the … rules for crime fiction — Newsweek also : cheat fudging on an exam

2 : to fail to perform as expected

3 : to avoid commitment : hedge the government's tendency to fudge on delicate matters of policy— Claire Sterling

fudge

noun

Definition of fudge (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : foolish nonsense —often used interjectionally to express annoyance, disappointment, or disbelief

2 : a soft creamy candy made typically of sugar, milk, butter, and flavoring

3 : something that is fudged especially : a bending of rules or a compromise

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about fudge

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Examples of fudge in a Sentence

Verb

Politicians have been known to fudge the issues. The treasurer fudged the figures. It was later discovered that the researchers had fudged their data.

Noun

We bought three kinds of fudge. His response to these charges has been a series of denials and fudges.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

As the heat on him has grown, so have the concerns about his temperament, his history of drinking, and his willingness to fudge the truth on small details. — Emily Stewart, Vox, "Everything that’s happened since the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing, explained," 2 Oct. 2018 Either way, any pile of living or once-living ingredients eventually becomes compost, recognizable as a dark brown, crumbly fudge with a woodsy smell. — Lee Reich, The Seattle Times, "Fall is the perfect time to build a compost bin," 16 Oct. 2018 Ultimately, there’s no way to mathematically fudge your way past encounters. — Steven Strom, Ars Technica, "Hollow Knight beats Metroid, Dark Souls at their own brutal game," 28 July 2018 Casting a shadow over the process is the Irish border issue, still considered the most complex problem in the negotiations, one that provoked a crisis in December before a fudged, last-minute compromise was reached. — Stephen Castle, New York Times, "U.K. Reaches Brexit Transition Deal With E.U.," 19 Mar. 2018 Another article in The New York Post has similarly fudged Maurer’s partisan affiliation to make the same point. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "Does criticizing Trump make his base like him more?," 24 June 2018 Fifteen years of forced hard labor, bound ankle to wrist in chains, simply wasn’t proportionate to the offense of fudging a payroll ledger. — Clifton Leaf, Fortune, "Brainstorm Health: Cruel and Unusual, Amazon and PillPack, Biotech IPO Madness," 28 June 2018 Unscrupulous politicians will be tempted to fudge figures to win votes, or to give lenders false reassurance. — The Economist, "The hounding of Greece’s former statistics chief is disturbing," 14 June 2018 The number was considered by some advocates and the press to be dubious, especially given recent revelations that the city had fudged lead paint inspections in public housing units for years. — Anne Branigin, The Root, "New York City Finally Admits that More than 800 Kids Living in Public Housing Tested High for Lead," 2 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The vanilla and chocolate cream bases are both made with Hennessy VSOP cognac. Salted caramel, caramelized golden peanuts, butterscotch, dark chocolate croquant, whipped cream, hot fudge and a chocolate crown decorate the dessert. — Fox News, "The world's most expensive ice cream and frozen treats," 3 Aug. 2016 Policies that set dishonest prices or fudge budgets can fuel the growth of government and lure voters leftward. — Steve H. Hanke And Stephen J.k. Walters, WSJ, "Lying Prices Keep America Hooked on Spending," 7 Jan. 2019 Products: Apples, half-runner beans, honey, homemade pies, kale chips, cookies, eggs, wine, gift soaps, jelly, jam, marmalade, red velvet fudge brownies, sweet potatoes, okra, zucchini. — Nancy Daly, Cincinnati.com, "The calendar says spring. Can farmers markets be far behind?," 23 Apr. 2018 Put me down for a slice of seven-layer chocolate cake with soft, fudge-like frosting. — Providence Cicero, The Seattle Times, "Central Smoke’s Asian-accented, down-home barbecue adds fire and spice to chilly nights," 25 Oct. 2018 Though the dishes are constantly changing, expect items like porcini with egg yolk fudge in a wild mushroom broth, and bay scallop with celtuce, pine nuts, and little gem. — Jenna Scatena, Condé Nast Traveler, "32 Best Restaurants in San Francisco," 1 Mar. 2018 Parfait, a shop in the Ballard neighborhood, pasteurizes its own ice cream base onsite and makes everything from fudge brownies to sprinkles from scratch. — Morgan Goldberg, USA TODAY, "The Emerald City's ultimate ice cream trail," 18 June 2018 This week's fudge flavors will include dark chocolate pecan, strawberry cheesecake, peanut butter explosion and chocolate walnut. — Steve Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, "Feed your Super Bowl party guests right with seafood from local markets," 31 Jan. 2018 Do as the locals do: grab a bag of fudge from E.H. Hobb's candy shop, located on the park's eastern edge; snag a bench overlooking the water; and watch the sunset before heading to dinner. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Best Day Trips From Boston," 9 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fudge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.