nodded; nodding
1
: to make a quick downward motion of the head whether deliberately (as in expressing assent or salutation) or involuntarily (as from drowsiness)
She nodded in agreement.
The guard nodded to us as we walked in.
He sat nodding by the fire.
2
: to incline or sway from the vertical as though ready to fall
signposts nodding in the wind
3
: to bend or sway the upper part gently downward or forward : bob gently
the plumes that nodded on his helmet
nodding flowers on long stems
4
: to make a slip or error in a moment of abstraction
… Fuentes nods, and his language then falls into … an overly learned mumbo-jumbo that stops the drama of his action.—
Robert Maurer
Robert Maurer1
: to incline downward or forward
nodded his head in agreement
2
: to bring, invite, or send by a nod
nodded us in
3
: to signify by a nod
nodded their approval
nodder
noun
1
: the act or an instance of nodding
gave a nod of greeting
2
: an indication especially of approval or recognition
Examples of nod in a Sentence
Verb
She nodded when I asked her if she was ready.
I asked her if she could hear me, and she nodded her head.
“The bathroom is around the corner,” he said, nodding to the left.
She nodded toward the dirty dishes and said she would get to them later.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Surprise: ‘The Voice’ Stumbles for the First Time in More Than a Decade
The singing competition has received an outstanding reality competition program nod every year since 2012 and has won four times along the way — yet it was boxed out this year.
—William Earl, Variety, 15 July 2025
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2025
There are subtle nods to Everton’s history and heritage too.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nod
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Teams nod along, then go back to doing things their own way.
—Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Surprise: ‘The Voice’ Stumbles for the First Time in More Than a Decade
The singing competition has received an outstanding reality competition program nod every year since 2012 and has won four times along the way — yet it was boxed out this year.
—William Earl, Variety, 15 July 2025
Noun
The title is a nod to the setting: a rainy near-future Brazil where AI advances coincide with a new neurological syndrome.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2025
There are subtle nods to Everton’s history and heritage too.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nod
Cite this Entry
“Nod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nod. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nod
1 of 2 verb
nodded; nodding
1
: to bend the head downward or forward (as in bowing or going to sleep or as a way of answering "yes")
2
: to move up and down
the tulips nodded in the breeze
3
: to show by a nod of the head
nod agreement
4
: to let one's attention roam for a moment and make an error
nodder
noun
nod
2 of 2 noun
: the action of nodding
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share