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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nudging
That’s like a flower scrupulously nudging out from between sidewalk slabs, a breath of fresh air.
—
Noah White, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Broward Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott is nudging cities to move away from March.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
In practical terms, those hedging flows have acted like a magnet, nudging Bitcoin higher while capping gains.
—Sidhartha Shukla, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Your 9th House of Expansion is energized by Venus and Chiron aligning, nudging you to choose growth over perfection in an expanding field.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
But that respite was short-lived, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard, nudging back over $100 a barrel Tuesday, up nearly 40% since the war started.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
In some cases, the compression worked in the festival’s favor, nudging people to leave overcrowded screenings and redirect their attention to other corners of the event.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
When the Rockets called a time out, the Lakers bench all ran over to Doncic, hugging him, slapping him and James nudging him for a job very well done.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 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
Noah White, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
Broward Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott is nudging cities to move away from March.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
In practical terms, those hedging flows have acted like a magnet, nudging Bitcoin higher while capping gains.
—Sidhartha Shukla, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Your 9th House of Expansion is energized by Venus and Chiron aligning, nudging you to choose growth over perfection in an expanding field.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2026
But that respite was short-lived, with the price of Brent crude, the international standard, nudging back over $100 a barrel Tuesday, up nearly 40% since the war started.
—ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
In some cases, the compression worked in the festival’s favor, nudging people to leave overcrowded screenings and redirect their attention to other corners of the event.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
When the Rockets called a time out, the Lakers bench all ran over to Doncic, hugging him, slapping him and James nudging him for a job very well done.
—Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
-
Experts advise using them gently, wearing protective eyewear, and rinsing the grill after brushing.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
After the wakeup call, the crew has some time to get ready (think brushing their teeth and combing their hair).—
Tariq Malik,
Space.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Destiny calls loudly as passionate Mars charges into your 9th House of Distance, urging you to attempt things that are literally or metaphorically far from your comfort zone.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The leaders of France, Spain and Finland and top European Union leaders all issued statements welcoming the two-week pause in fighting but urging swift negotiations to bring the war to a permanent end.—
Will Clark,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One snapshot showed Harry kissing Elizabeth on the cheek, while another depicted the family laughing.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
10 Apr. 2026
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At Marilla and White’s engagement party, both current and former cast members shared advice on everything from kissing to navigating a breakup.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Former clients described Motta encouraging people to get surgeries, and others discussed one particularly shameless episode in which a large church van, crammed with prospective plaintiffs, intentionally collided with a truck.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Reframe aging as a life stage of capability and purpose rather than decline, encouraging earlier conversations across families, workplaces, and communities.—
Aimee DeCamillo,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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