fudge

1 of 2

verb

fudged; fudging

transitive verb

1
a
: 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 fictionNewsweek
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 policyClaire Sterling

fudge

2 of 2

noun

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

Example Sentences

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
Nadler’s Bakery built a solid reputation with a variety of sweets, from cakes and cupcakes to fudge, and an array of sandwiches. Chuck Blount, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Jan. 2022 Toney — who gained vaudeville fame under the name Eddie Leonard — suggested that Robinson was close to 20, but he was known to fudge dates and ages. John Kelly, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2023 People feel self-conscious about their food choices and may fudge (pun intended) the data. Carl Engelking, Discover Magazine, 26 Mar. 2018 Corrado 8, Talon 5 Not to fudge, but such a tally doesn't necessarily represent the essence of an outcome. Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, 24 Dec. 2022 Upon arriving, their neighbors brought them fudge and introduced themselves, Lopez said. Madison Rudolf, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2022 Don’t fudge your college major or minor, any of your certifications or degrees, or relevant work experience. Fortune, 1 June 2022 When former state health department employee Rebekah Jones claimed she was fired for refusing to fudge state Covid data to support the state’s reopening in spring 2020, national and local media outlets reported her allegations as fact. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 3 June 2022 The complexity of food and consumers’ bandwidth for information prompts most brands to fudge the facts with ambiguity and toothless terminology. Erik Oberholtzer, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2022
Noun
They were seen landing on the fudge at a dessert buffet as well as on fruits, vegetables and to-go containers. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2022 This hot chocolate is full of sweets, from fudge sauces and chocolate curls to vanilla bean. Frederick Tippett, Sunset Magazine, 9 Dec. 2022 More surprisingly, there’s slow cooker doner kebab, which emulates the take-out favorite, and the intriguing slow cooker fudge. Olivia Potts, Longreads, 17 Nov. 2022 The triple truffle Blizzard features a blend of truffles filled with peanut butter, fudge and caramel. Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2023 The five new vegan flavors are bananas Foster, toasted oat milk and cookies, peanut butter brittle caramel fudge, red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sorbet. San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2022 Here, handcrafted fudge in 21 flavors and other sweets are offered. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2022 This episode is bookended by two very dynamic events: Mamie Eisenhower (Sarah Paulson) talking about fudge in relation to it being in or out of the pan. Kelly Mcclure, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2021 To give them a little taste of the Emerald Isle, go with this unique food basket, which includes breakfast tea, an Irish soda bread kit, truffles, cookies, caramels, fudge, and more goodies straight from Ireland. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 27 Jan. 2023 See More

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.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1674, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fudge was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near fudge

Cite this Entry

“Fudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fudge. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

fudge

1 of 2 verb
fudged; fudging
1
: to change (something) in order to trick people
fudged the figures
2
: to avoid being open or direct : hedge
politicians fudging on the issues

fudge

2 of 2 noun
1
: foolish nonsense
2
: a soft creamy candy made typically of milk, sugar, butter, and flavoring

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