prodded; prodding
2
: to poke or stir as if with a prod
: to urge someone on
prodder
noun
1
: a pointed instrument used to prod
2
: an incitement to act
needed a few prods to remember her lines
chiefly Ireland, often disparaging + offensive
Examples of prod in a Sentence
Verb
She prodded him in the ribs to get his attention.
She was prodded into joining the team.
Noun (1)
She gave him a sharp prod in the back.
He picked up a stick and used it as a prod to get the donkey moving.
He needed a few prods to remember his lines.
She called me and gave me a prod about finishing the report.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
After learning about Charlie’s human lie detector power, Alex decides to prod Brick about Rodney’s death in front of her, and Charlie can’t entirely ignore how much Brick is lying either.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 26 June 2025
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
When battered and captured Russian tanks are lined up for display along a Kyiv street, Ukrainians gawk and prod (and punch) as if at a surreal car show.
—Lauren Wissot, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
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Verb
Having to spend three hours being poked and prodded and prevented from making phone calls rankled; Diamandis is an incorrigible multitasker.
—Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
After learning about Charlie’s human lie detector power, Alex decides to prod Brick about Rodney’s death in front of her, and Charlie can’t entirely ignore how much Brick is lying either.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 26 June 2025
Noun
But no doubt users will poke and prod for extra-abusive responses from the aggressive bot while seeing how explicit Ani becomes with the right seductive prompts.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
When battered and captured Russian tanks are lined up for display along a Kyiv street, Ukrainians gawk and prod (and punch) as if at a surreal car show.
—Lauren Wissot, IndieWire, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Cite this Entry
“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prod. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prod
1 of 2 verb
prodded; prodding
1
: to poke with something
2
: to stir a person or animal to action
kept prodding me to reveal the secret
prodder
noun
prod
2 of 2 noun1
: something used for prodding
2
: an act of prodding : a sharp urging or reminder
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