1
as in brushed
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 urged
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
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Recent Examples of nudged
On Sunday, stops were hard to come by with Flagg scoring almost at will (14 for 27 from the field, 15 for 17 at the free-throw line), and the Lakers’ responses never nudged the needle in their favor.
—
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Juvenile whales gently nudged the calf and kept it close to the mother.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Apr. 2026
The same is true for film, where streaming apps like Netflix have nudged aside movie theaters and DVDs.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Others have a slightly more optimistic take, particularly given that gas prices have nudged past the $4/gallon psychological barrier.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
Repair shouldn’t have been impossible, and yet every step of the process nudged me toward replacement.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
As the volunteer soccer coach shouted words of motivation, one of his players nudged the ball past the opposing team's goalie and into the net, prompting the sideline to erupt in cheers.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Air Canada board—which should perhaps have nudged Rousseau along in his French studies—said on Monday that French skills would be a key factor in choosing the next CEO.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Life, however, nudged her back into the spotlight.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Juvenile whales gently nudged the calf and kept it close to the mother.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Apr. 2026
The same is true for film, where streaming apps like Netflix have nudged aside movie theaters and DVDs.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Others have a slightly more optimistic take, particularly given that gas prices have nudged past the $4/gallon psychological barrier.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2026
Repair shouldn’t have been impossible, and yet every step of the process nudged me toward replacement.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
As the volunteer soccer coach shouted words of motivation, one of his players nudged the ball past the opposing team's goalie and into the net, prompting the sideline to erupt in cheers.
—ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
The Air Canada board—which should perhaps have nudged Rousseau along in his French studies—said on Monday that French skills would be a key factor in choosing the next CEO.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
Life, however, nudged her back into the spotlight.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudged
Verb
-
The twisted ponytail was paired with a new set of long, feathery bangs, which Kidman wore brushed across her forehead and gently winged out near her temples for more texture and movement.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
9 Apr. 2026
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On two separate occasions earlier in March, Rick Nicholson brushed the chest of two female players while attempting to swat away insects, according to the parents of three players who spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns that their daughters might face reprisals.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, who served as the European Council’s president, urged maximum understanding for Zelensky.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Just a few months earlier, Kelly had also urged the City Council to reject a three-story housing project that was planned on I Street near McKinley Park.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Joveljic’s left-footed curler kissed the inside of the post and gave SKC a sliver of a chance.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The athlete kissed her belly in the adorable clip, which was captioned with a red heart emoji.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Given the Hornets’ record attendance this season, prompt action is encouraged due to expected high demand.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
-
This spring, he was encouraged by regaining strength and bat speed.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudged. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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