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
To manage the thousands of people who descend daily, operators have studied visitors’ behavior and engineered their parks to move people around without anyone realizing they’re being nudged.
—
Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Student tickets nudged down, too, from 8,013 to 7,823.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 12 Sep. 2025
The result can be that all tasks get nudged into the periphery of your attention.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Creating rentals aided lower-income families and nudged rents down.
—Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
June was restated to show a net job loss of 13,000—the first decline since 2020—while July’s gain was nudged higher, leaving overall employment 21,000 lower than previously reported.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
The central bank has nudged up its short-term policy rate and scaled back bond-buying operations, all signaling that keeping yields contained will be a tough ask.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The illusion of infinite choice online masks a narrowing of exposure to new ideas — millions scrolling different feeds, but being nudged toward the same few ways of thinking.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Those who were nudged toward valuing youthfulness saw more of it in themselves and in their friends.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Bianca Bosker, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2025
Student tickets nudged down, too, from 8,013 to 7,823.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 12 Sep. 2025
The result can be that all tasks get nudged into the periphery of your attention.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Creating rentals aided lower-income families and nudged rents down.
—Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
June was restated to show a net job loss of 13,000—the first decline since 2020—while July’s gain was nudged higher, leaving overall employment 21,000 lower than previously reported.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025
The central bank has nudged up its short-term policy rate and scaled back bond-buying operations, all signaling that keeping yields contained will be a tough ask.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
The illusion of infinite choice online masks a narrowing of exposure to new ideas — millions scrolling different feeds, but being nudged toward the same few ways of thinking.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Those who were nudged toward valuing youthfulness saw more of it in themselves and in their friends.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudged
Verb
-
Her dark brown bob was freshly trimmed and curled toward her face; the top brushed and styled over the left side of her head.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
2 Oct. 2025
-
An increase in sunlight, together with the pressure drop, confirmed that the robot had crossed the eyewall and brushed the eye itself.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Burnett urged those who received the calls to stay skeptical of anyone claiming to be a deputy and to not engage in conversation with them.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Ordinary Gazans who spoke to the WSJ urged Hamas to take the deal.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Ferrari driver kissed his dog’s head in one snap and placed his hand affectionately on him in another.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Around that time, the stepdaughter, now 21, claimed that Errol kissed her and stuck his tongue into her mouth.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
People in the comments section validated her feelings and encouraged her to stand firm.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The family-friendly event draws kid and adult runners, and for a fun Halloween twist, participants are encouraged to dress up.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nudged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudged. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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