nudges 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of nudge
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

nudges

2 of 2

noun

plural of nudge
as in pushes

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 nudges
Verb
Sangare probably nudges playmaker Mathias Jensen out of the starting XI to line up alongside Yehor Yarmoliuk and Mikkel Damsgaard. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Instead of wiping firmware, an adversary nudges a setpoint, edits a protection parameter, distorts a sensor feed—or shows the operator a calm screen while the equipment tears itself apart. — Julian Durand, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Everything about Anna Maria Island nudges you toward taking a deep breath and surrendering to the calm of vacation. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 28 July 2026 If a kid’s activity, date, hobby, or creative plan nudges the budget, set a clear ceiling first. — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026 Cost per wear nudges you toward fewer regrets at the register and a closet that earns its keep. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026 One gallery features a towering tree with a grinning Cheshire Cat tucked among vibrant begonias and unusual foliage, while other spaces are filled with whimsical topiary creatures, fountains and playful signage that nudges guests deeper into Wonderland. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 25 June 2026 An intuitive Moon crosses your 10th House of Career while Saturn, planet of lessons, rests in your 5th House of Creativity, and their quincunx nudges you to refine spotlight plans with care. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026 Upcoming inflation and jobs reports carry outsized weight, too, since each release nudges investor expectations about where the Fed heads next. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudges
  1. kisses
  2. urges
  3. pushes
  4. brushes
  5. encourages
  6. jerks
  7. touches
  8. jams
Verb
  • Bear then passionately kisses Nikki, but soon collapses from the overdose and dies.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Guthrie is shown wearing a hospital gown and holding her newborn daughter, while Feldman kisses Vale’s head.
    — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of kisses
Verb
  • The two argue about Essex’s goals, and Sabretooth urges Wolverine to usurp Essex and take control of the team himself.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • If sleep problems persist, Johns Hopkins urges people to see a doctor rather than let the issue linger.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of urges
Noun
  • Both Craig and Flanagan have made pushes for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to face legal accountability central to their pitch.
    — Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In these subtle but intent pushes, Haigh arrived at what felt like the ending of a chapter in his life and career.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of pushes
Verb
  • Flagrantly practicing an especially ribald strain of cringe comedy that brushes several third rails, often simultaneously, the show could have been a disastrous gambit.
    — Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Soon after Sally brushes off the comments, her daughters are introduced.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of brushes
Verb
  • Forbes Travel Guide’s second annual Edge List encourages discovery beyond the well-trodden path.
    — Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • If parents need to contact their students, each district encourages them to reach out to the school’s office.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of encourages
Noun
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Something from this article might put me on some Ben Shapiro list, where a bunch of jerks literally will just call me ‘f****t’ or worse on my social media.
    — William Earl, Variety, 10 June 2026
Definition of jerks
Verb
  • The eatery features Midcentury Modern touches with curved cherry wood walls and paneled ceilings, as well as illuminated white onyx Corian surfaces.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This is why healthcare carries an especially high bar for accountability, and any vendor that touches patient data should be built for HIPAA readiness from the start rather than retrofitted for it later.
    — Brett White, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of touches
Noun
  • But this film’s logic lies in the edit, starting and ending with a stop-start stutter motif that jars us into this world of a small Oklahoma town, where a bluegrass band jams in a restaurant parking lot.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Satellite navigation can fail when an adversary jams GPS or China’s BeiDou system.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of jams

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Cite this Entry

“Nudges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudges. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of nudges for Spanish Speakers

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