nudged; nudging
1
: to touch or push gently
… nudged the cue ball with the tip of the cue.—
Paul Theroux
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
J. K. Rowling 2
: to prod lightly : urge into action
… have been nudged into starting their own ventures …—Janet Bamford
Janet Bamford3
: approach
its circulation is nudging the four million mark—Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf
: to give a nudge
She nudged and jostled through the crowd.
nudge
noun
nudger
noun
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
Instead, the director Scott Cooper’s film turns on Landau recognizing that the tracks reflect Springsteen confronting inner darkness—including his conflicted feelings about his father and his fear of his growing fame—and nudging the musician to realize his need for further help.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, Grapski said Praia's goal is to continue to improve nudging capabilities to get more engagement and reduce pain points across healthcare.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
My grandma gave my brother and I each a budget to work within, often nudging us to pool our resources and work together to find the perfect gift for each parent.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025
High financing costs, a wobbly economy, flat rents and overbuilding in certain markets nudged many other developers to cancel or delay rental projects.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nudge
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.
David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, Grapski said Praia's goal is to continue to improve nudging capabilities to get more engagement and reduce pain points across healthcare.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
My grandma gave my brother and I each a budget to work within, often nudging us to pool our resources and work together to find the perfect gift for each parent.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025
High financing costs, a wobbly economy, flat rents and overbuilding in certain markets nudged many other developers to cancel or delay rental projects.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nudge. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nudge
verb
nudged; nudging
: to touch or push gently
especially
: to attract the attention of by a push of the elbow
nudge
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share