nudge

verb

ˈnəj 

nudged; nudging

transitive verb

1

: to touch or push gently

… nudged the cue ball with the tip of the cue.

—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

2

: to prod lightly : urge into action

… have been nudged into starting their own ventures …

—Janet Bamford

3

: approach

… its circulation is nudging the four million mark …

—Bennett Cerf

intransitive verb

: to give a nudge

She nudged and jostled through the crowd.

nudge noun

nudger noun

Synonyms of nudge

• brush
• kiss
• touch

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

Their money and influence nudged Switzerland toward securing better terms. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

My lightning bolt also nudged me toward self-reflection, a pillar of modern wellness. —Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025

As these devices mature, expect more cross-talk with health portals, with regulators nudging standards for accuracy and security. —William Jones, jsonline.com, 11 Nov. 2025

As chilly days return to North Carolina, the first reaction may be to nudge the thermostat a little higher. —Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for nudge

• budge
• drudge
• frage
• fudge
• grudge
• judge
• mudge
• rudge
• sludge
• smudge
• trudge
• adjudge

Kids Definition

nudge

verb

ˈnəj 

nudged; nudging

: to touch or push gently

especially : to attract the attention of by a push of the elbow

nudge noun