1
as in to brush
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
accidentally nudged me as they squeezed past
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the car salesman nudged me into taking a test-drive, even though I had said that I was just looking
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of nudge
Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Betting platforms have to call outcomes accurately or they’ll get dropped from the cable-news scroll, and insiders nudging odds toward correct answers help with that.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 13 May 2026
In theory, today’s MAHA rally was another nudge for the administration.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Verb
Amazon left its full-year spending outlook at $200 billion and Alphabet nudged up its capex 2026 guidance to $180 billion and $190 billion.
—Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Betting platforms have to call outcomes accurately or they’ll get dropped from the cable-news scroll, and insiders nudging odds toward correct answers help with that.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
Noun
Schwab gives teens a financial nudge to actually complete coursework.
—Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 13 May 2026
In theory, today’s MAHA rally was another nudge for the administration.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudge
Verb
-
Frantic, Capo raced to the hospital from her Orlando home, not stopping to brush her teeth or put on a bra.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 June 2026
-
Still, Klugo’s hearing loss couldn’t be brushed away.—
Liana Handler
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Police urge anyone with information to call KCPD detectives at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
-
Yoon’s wife urges me to open the gift.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Wembanyama, who discarded Brunson with a push to the back of his head during the first quarter, was not called for a common foul on the play.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
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The push started with a one-out single by Meghan Clements and was solidified when Salerno blasted a two-run home run over the left-field wall.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Once the Islander opened the door, in typical Love Island USA fashion, they were prompted to kiss the other islanders with common interests.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
-
Everyone offers their name and kisses everyone else, and women scrape their lipstick off other people’s cheeks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Speaking between ballots, Tafoya repeatedly reminded delegates about the importance of winning the general election, while Schwarze encouraged them not to compromise their principles.—
Jay Gabler,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
-
Kramer said the attendance cap was intentional and designed to encourage visitors to attend events throughout the region.—
Ben Wheeler
May 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
His profession is to be the screaming jerk on reality shows, and his house burns down.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
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These measurements enabled scientists to identify sudden changes linked to the Pacific reversal and a geomagnetic disturbance known as the 2017 geomagnetic jerk.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Don’t go anywhere near them or touch any objects that are near them, including tree limbs.—
Hali Smith,
Idaho Statesman,
29 May 2026
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The incidents involve teenage boys who alleged that a man, who was later revealed to be Moore, came into their rooms and touched them at night, according to court records.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudge. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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