1
as in brushing
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
accidentally nudged me as they squeezed past
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 nudging
Prices in the Inland Empire were nudging closer to $6 on Thursday.
—
City News Service, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
OpenAI, for example, added a feature to ChatGPT in August that encourages users to take breaks after using the tool for extended periods of time instead of nudging them to keep responding.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Five‑generation workforces that tap older adults as talent, mentors, and innovators instead of nudging them to the sidelines.
—Ken Dychtwald, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
There is no bidding war, no incremental raises, and definitely no call from a specialist nudging you higher.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
This external stripping accelerates the heating and expansion of the dwarf galaxy, nudging it toward that dynamical attractor even faster.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Crappies are quite capable of inhaling your entire jig without even nudging the float.
—Cory Schmidt, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
By nudging or priming people with these human-like cues, then that shifts us more into the warmth dimension.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
That’s like a flower scrupulously nudging out from between sidewalk slabs, a breath of fresh air.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
City News Service, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
OpenAI, for example, added a feature to ChatGPT in August that encourages users to take breaks after using the tool for extended periods of time instead of nudging them to keep responding.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Five‑generation workforces that tap older adults as talent, mentors, and innovators instead of nudging them to the sidelines.
—Ken Dychtwald, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
There is no bidding war, no incremental raises, and definitely no call from a specialist nudging you higher.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
This external stripping accelerates the heating and expansion of the dwarf galaxy, nudging it toward that dynamical attractor even faster.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Crappies are quite capable of inhaling your entire jig without even nudging the float.
—Cory Schmidt, Outdoor Life, 15 Apr. 2026
By nudging or priming people with these human-like cues, then that shifts us more into the warmth dimension.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
That’s like a flower scrupulously nudging out from between sidewalk slabs, a breath of fresh air.
—Noah White, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
-
Customers should boil water prior to washing their hands or face, brushing their teeth, drinking or cooking.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
-
When you’re done brushing your hair, air dry or diffuse your hair.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
As this unseasonable heat returns, the National Weather Service is urging residents in South Florida to take necessary precautions to avoid heat illnesses and heat exhaustion.—
Lissette Gonzalez,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Lydon, who served as a Peruvian missionary with the pope during the 1990s, recalled his friend collecting signatures on petitions urging an end to human rights violations under an authoritarian regime.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
By the end of it, people are of course kissing, because that’s what should be happening all the time.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, kissing at the Grand Champions Polo Club as his team won the Royal Salute Polo Challenge.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Iranian officials are encouraging the population to consume less electricity and gas, as a US blockade has interrupted the flow of shipments to Iran.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
Now there’s emphasis on offense, teaching it and coaching it and encouraging it.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
