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
Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Stelo, Lingo and Levels each promise to turn real-time glucose data into something useful — whether that’s tighter diabetes management or a clearer picture of how breakfast, stress or a bad night of sleep nudges your metabolism.
—Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026
The hormone, in turn, nudges the brain back toward waking once the night’s repair work is done.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Once repair is complete, growth hormone activates a brainstem region called the locus coeruleus, which gently nudges you toward waking.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
As Benson continues asking questions about the victim, Jasmyn nudges a sign that shows her prices for autographs and pictures and says that her time is valuable.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Doing so activates the vagus nerve and nudges the nervous system from fight-or-flight back toward rest.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
Even her mother, touchingly, nudges Suzanna from the nest, refusing for her daughter’s sake to cling to their weekly routine.
—Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
Stelo, Lingo and Levels each promise to turn real-time glucose data into something useful — whether that’s tighter diabetes management or a clearer picture of how breakfast, stress or a bad night of sleep nudges your metabolism.
—Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 27 May 2026
The hormone, in turn, nudges the brain back toward waking once the night’s repair work is done.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026
Once repair is complete, growth hormone activates a brainstem region called the locus coeruleus, which gently nudges you toward waking.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
As Benson continues asking questions about the victim, Jasmyn nudges a sign that shows her prices for autographs and pictures and says that her time is valuable.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
Doing so activates the vagus nerve and nudges the nervous system from fight-or-flight back toward rest.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 10 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudges
Verb
-
Sofia Carson blows kisses to the camera during the amfAR Gala Cannes 2026 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 21.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
25 May 2026
-
According to legend, anyone who kisses it will be granted the gift of gab.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Australia has advised citizens not to transit through countries including the United Arab Emirates, while Canada continues to advise against all travel to the UAE and the United States urges travelers to reconsider travel to the country.—
Melanie Swan,
CNN Money,
1 June 2026
-
Curcio urges anyone who may have known Freese or his family to call him at 954-321-4212 or submit a tip through the SaferWatch app.—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Snowflake and other large software vendors have been making major pushes to prove their long-term sustainability in the age of AI.—
Sebastian Herrera,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
-
Despite federal pushes to replace lead pipes in the state and the city over the last decade, including a mandate from the Biden administration to replace 20,000 pipes in Chicago every year, progress has been slow.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
Bryce Harper, star slugger, the Phillie Phanatic's best friend, and baseball hero to children of all ages, brushes his teeth.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
These stocks have climbed for weeks as the market brushes off the narrative that AI is a threat to the cybersecurity industry.—
Morgan Chittum,Matthew J. Belvedere,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Each line encourages a body to shift when uttered or even when read silently to oneself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
To her daughter, 8-year-old Hazel (Nola Wallace), Paula is the fun parent, a mom who encourages ice cream for dinner, embraces cursing, enthusiastically participates in TikTok dances, and even coaches her daughter’s youth soccer team.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
To relitigate the matter on behalf of Musk only served to underline the conviction that all of these jerks deserved one another.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
-
Here, witches are real — and so are jerks.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tony touches such as twice-daily housekeeping, complimentary newspapers dropped at your door, and complimentary house car service (based on availability) make this splurge a worthwhile investment.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
War in Iran, mostly, which is making anything and everything that touches global shipping more expensive.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Breakfast included, with lots of homemade jams and pastries.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Seyfrid also makes his own Bavarian-style mustards and jams.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudges. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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