1
as in brushing
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 urging
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
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Recent Examples of nudging
Instead, the director Scott Cooper’s film turns on Landau recognizing that the tracks reflect Springsteen confronting inner darkness—including his conflicted feelings about his father and his fear of his growing fame—and nudging the musician to realize his need for further help.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, Grapski said Praia's goal is to continue to improve nudging capabilities to get more engagement and reduce pain points across healthcare.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
My grandma gave my brother and I each a budget to work within, often nudging us to pool our resources and work together to find the perfect gift for each parent.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025
The scores reflected the judges' differing opinions, with Hough downgrading from his eight of last week to a score of seven and Inaba nudging up to an eight.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
As the new month begins on October 1st, Juno enters Sagittarius and lights up your communication and curiosity sector, nudging you to speak from your gut instead of your script.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Sep. 2025
Douthat talks to a wide range of guests, nudging them toward unexpectedly cosmic discussions of good and evil and the future of humanity.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Think of it like a dimmer switch for your brain, nudging you towards sleep rather than forcing it.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Your public persona or professional trajectory could hit a dead end, nudging you to shake things up and go against the status quo.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
David Sims, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, Grapski said Praia's goal is to continue to improve nudging capabilities to get more engagement and reduce pain points across healthcare.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
My grandma gave my brother and I each a budget to work within, often nudging us to pool our resources and work together to find the perfect gift for each parent.
—Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025
The scores reflected the judges' differing opinions, with Hough downgrading from his eight of last week to a score of seven and Inaba nudging up to an eight.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Oct. 2025
As the new month begins on October 1st, Juno enters Sagittarius and lights up your communication and curiosity sector, nudging you to speak from your gut instead of your script.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Sep. 2025
Douthat talks to a wide range of guests, nudging them toward unexpectedly cosmic discussions of good and evil and the future of humanity.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Think of it like a dimmer switch for your brain, nudging you towards sleep rather than forcing it.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025
Your public persona or professional trajectory could hit a dead end, nudging you to shake things up and go against the status quo.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
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This combination can turn daily, simple tasks like washing hands or brushing teeth into an entire cleaning session.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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The storm’s outer bands are already brushing Jamaica and western Haiti, where hurricane watches are in effect.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Porat closed by urging leaders to really dig in and reimagine what’s possible in their own organizations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Forecasters are urging travelers to check state road condition websites before setting out, as snow and ice are likely on high-elevation roads and mountain passes.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After not being seen together again for a few months, Perry and Trudeau were then photographed in September, hugging and kissing on a yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Before that moment, photos had surfaced of Perry and Trudeau kissing on a yacht, following earlier sightings of them dining together in Canada shortly after Trudeau attended Perry’s July concert in Montreal.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In low, incantatory voices, the lamas were reading from The Tibetan Book of the Dead, encouraging my grandmother to move forward without fear in the bardo between death and rebirth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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But rather than responding with anger, the university’s president, Astrid Tuminez, is encouraging dialogue.—
Steven P. Dinkin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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