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
In the past 24 hours, surface winds have shifted to the south, not only helping to boost temperatures after the unseasonably cold start to the week but also nudging up humidity and dew point temps, which should diminish the wildfire threat heading into Thursday.
—
Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
Snap decisions may become necessary with this Moon-Mercury conjunction in your 10th House of Motivation, nudging you to name your goal and take that next step.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2026
Yet Breaking the Waves was an art-house sensation, scoring an Oscar nomination for Watson and nudging Skarsgård into contention for big-budget Hollywood roles.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
According to Stephen Colbert, O’Brien had been nudging him toward the exit for a while.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
That motivation wasn’t the product of his famous father nudging him.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Your 4th House of Family receives support as sensual Venus sextiles unearthing Pluto in your logical 2nd house, nudging you to refresh your routines and polish your living space.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Small fixes prevent messes as information-gathering Mercury turns retrograde in your 6th House of Wellness, nudging you to refine routines and rest your body and mind.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Impassioned Mars in your sign sextiles vulnerable Chiron in your 3rd House of Correspondence, nudging you to assert your needs.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
Snap decisions may become necessary with this Moon-Mercury conjunction in your 10th House of Motivation, nudging you to name your goal and take that next step.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2026
Yet Breaking the Waves was an art-house sensation, scoring an Oscar nomination for Watson and nudging Skarsgård into contention for big-budget Hollywood roles.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2026
According to Stephen Colbert, O’Brien had been nudging him toward the exit for a while.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
That motivation wasn’t the product of his famous father nudging him.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Your 4th House of Family receives support as sensual Venus sextiles unearthing Pluto in your logical 2nd house, nudging you to refresh your routines and polish your living space.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2026
Small fixes prevent messes as information-gathering Mercury turns retrograde in your 6th House of Wellness, nudging you to refine routines and rest your body and mind.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Impassioned Mars in your sign sextiles vulnerable Chiron in your 3rd House of Correspondence, nudging you to assert your needs.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
-
And after rubbing it in and brushing it through, this product leaves virtually no residue or gritty feeling.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save more than 4 gallons of water.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With Basic, Devantez delivers a love letter to millennial angst, urging those who are lost to put down their screens and find themselves before judging others.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Have every county and city elected official hard at work explaining to their constituents what is at stake —- and urging them to contact legislators in a mass public message of condemnation.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The two confirmed their relationship in the fall of 2021 after paparazzi photos leaked of the pair kissing inside a car.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
In the morning, the first thing Jenna says to her cabinmates, Alesia and Betul, is that Eddy was all over her the previous night, which led to kissing.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Moon, planet of emotions, soars into your 9th House of Philosophy today, encouraging you to explore ideas, cultures, or beliefs that soften sharp edges.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The program is designed to foster stronger connections at the local level, encouraging neighbors to communicate, collaborate and celebrate one another.—
Chuck Page,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
