nudge 1 of 2

verb

ˈnəj How to pronounce nudge (audio)
Definition of nudgenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nudge

2 of 2

noun

as in push

Related Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of nudge
Verb
Trump her Nobel Prize, hoping the gesture would nudge him toward supporting her fight to become Venezuela’s next leader. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2026 The banter, which evokes some of the elbow-nudging comedy of Culture Clash, seems to excite Alfaro more than his plot, which languishes until the play’s final stretch. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
McAuliffe, now a breast cancer surgeon and clinical investigator at Emory University, said that surgeons encounter a lot of extraneous information in the electronic health record — but the nudge was simple. — Allessandra Dicorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026 And a gentle nudge onto the side can quiet the airway without either person fully waking up. — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudge
  1. brush
  2. urge
  3. push
  4. kiss
  5. encourage
  6. jerk
  7. touch
Verb
  • The marinade combines tamarind purée, fish sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and cumin, with extra glaze brushed on for maximum flavor and char.
    — Rachel Gurjar, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Nov. 2026
  • There are no little bulges to accommodate the eyes, just cozy silk brushing lightly against my eyelids.
    — Jenny Hughes, The Spruce, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of brush
Verb
  • As such, the group urged the USTR to reexamine the existing barriers to foreign trade and adopt new approaches.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Jim urged the chipmaker to take greater advantage of its $235 billion share buyback authorization during periods of weakness, pointing to former Apple CFO Luca Maestri's aggressive approach to repurchases as a model.
    — Alexa LoMonaco,Jeff Nash, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of urge
Noun
  • Lockheed Martin recently completed a push-through test to verify that PAC-3 MSE could pass through the Mk 41 canister without sustaining damage.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • At the demonstration site, passages are wide enough for a push cart to move in one direction while an individual walks past in the other.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of push
Verb
  • More recently, Morissette revisited her 2000 appearance on Sex and the City, in which her character Dawn kissed Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw during a party game.
    — Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Jurors also found the actor guilty of kissing and groping another woman at a London radio station in 2004 or 2005 and of anally raping a fan at his home after meeting her backstage at one of his comedy shows in 2009.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of kiss
Verb
  • In a statement, Gaspar said he was encouraged by the early results and the momentum behind his campaign.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The company said the release is intended to encourage other researchers to build on the work and improve the technology.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of encourage
Noun
  • Mido, the jerk who blocks your progress in Kokiri Forest, has been subtly rewritten from bully to overbearing but well-intentioned boss.
    — James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Whizzing up and down the hills of San Francisco, I was at once mesmerized by the steering wheel turning on its own and a bit scared of the occasional jerk and sudden stop.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire's A and B shares both touched fresh highs on Tuesday.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil also tumbled below $95 and touched its lowest level in two months.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of touch

Browse Nearby Words

nude
nudge
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Cite this Entry

“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudge. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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