1
as in kisses
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 urges
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 nudges
Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
This perspective helps explain why small changes in choice environments – nudges such as placing salad bars directly in cafeteria serving lines or listing vegetarian options first on menus – can significantly shift behavior without forcing anyone to choose differently.
—Alejandro Hortal-Sánchez, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
Commitments may need clearer promises, especially as the Moon in your tender 8th house nudges Jupiter in your busy 2nd house.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2026
Everyday exchanges feel softer as romantic Venus kisses elusive Neptune in your 3rd House of Contact, which nudges you to speak from the heart.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
In effect, the system nudges seniors toward dependency rather than prevention.
—Saul Anuzis, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Bill nudges a bottle to the center of the table.
—David Cook, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
That differential, while still high, at least nudges the concept out of the instantly dismissible category.
—Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
Any tariff shift moves shipping volumes, squeezes supply chains, and eventually nudges consumer prices — but those ripples take time to reach shelves and paychecks.
—James Ward, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Team priorities could collide as the concerned Moon in your 11th House of Aspirations nudges reckless Mars in your 5th House of Risks.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
This perspective helps explain why small changes in choice environments – nudges such as placing salad bars directly in cafeteria serving lines or listing vegetarian options first on menus – can significantly shift behavior without forcing anyone to choose differently.
—Alejandro Hortal-Sánchez, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
Commitments may need clearer promises, especially as the Moon in your tender 8th house nudges Jupiter in your busy 2nd house.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2026
Everyday exchanges feel softer as romantic Venus kisses elusive Neptune in your 3rd House of Contact, which nudges you to speak from the heart.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
In effect, the system nudges seniors toward dependency rather than prevention.
—Saul Anuzis, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Bill nudges a bottle to the center of the table.
—David Cook, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
That differential, while still high, at least nudges the concept out of the instantly dismissible category.
—Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2026
Any tariff shift moves shipping volumes, squeezes supply chains, and eventually nudges consumer prices — but those ripples take time to reach shelves and paychecks.
—James Ward, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudges
Verb
-
Prince William, meanwhile, only did the cheek kisses to say hello to Queen Camilla.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Inspired, Larry grabs a random woman and kisses her on the mouth.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While a watch urges vigilance and planning, a warning means immediate action is needed to stay safe and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Mars in your sign urges you to be fast and sassy.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
None of the bills appear to be moving forward since last fall, despite aggressive pushes from both sides of the aisle to pay workers.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
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Jesus grins when asked which of the two pushes players harder in training.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tokyo Stylez, Cardi’s hairstylist, brushes out a sleek brown hairpiece, and Erika la’ pearl, her makeup artist, dabs at Cardi’s face while the rapper scrolls through her phone, controlling the music.—
Jazmine Hughes,
Allure,
24 Mar. 2026
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When some chime in to say their doctors had been cautiously optimistic about treatments, Sarah brushes that aside.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Haller encourages anyone with an early or strong family history of colon cancer to talk to their doctor and get screened even earlier.—
Emily McLeod,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
As Adam reenters the dating world, his sister encourages him to view it as a fresh start, and scenic designer Milo Bue visually evokes the idea of a blank slate by employing off-whites and greys for Adam’s studio apartment in New York City.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the new sequel, Grace teams with her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), as they’re hunted by four elite families full of murderous jerks scrambling to become the High Seat of a Council that controls the world.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
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Smarmy jerks can get obscenely wealthy in this country just by managing other people’s money.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Graves’ exit has sparked intense speculation about his potential successor to represent Missouri’s 6th Congressional District, which stretches across northern Missouri and touches Kansas City’s Northland.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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For those surrounded by ocean ecosystems that are home to some of the country’s most active marine research communities, the science emerging from this species touches on deep-sea fisheries, conservation and the biology of aging itself.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Working with strict limitations—no more than five instruments; just one hour to make each track—the two West Coast leftfield vets turn out a surprisingly expansive set of wooly electronic jams.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
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And all shows and jams ceased to exist.—
Des Moines Register,
Des Moines Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudges. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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