Synonyms of nudging

nudging

verb

present participle of nudge

1

as in brushing

to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing

accidentally nudged me as they squeezed past

Synonyms & Similar Words

• brushing
• kissing
• touching
• caressing
• shaving
• skimming
• grazing
• stroking
• scraping
• bumping
• patting
• missing
• contacting
• sweeping
• skipping
• glancing
• striking
• swiping
• petting
• bouncing
• cuddling
• loving
• fondling
• ricocheting
• caroming
• sideswiping
• rebounding
• skirting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hitting
• knocking
• bumping
• slapping
• smacking
• slamming
• punching
• banging
• impinging
• impacting
• crashing
• smashing
• colliding
• whacking
• clashing
• swiping
• thudding
• bashing
• ramming
• thwacking

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

• urging
• encouraging
• prodding
• prompting
• pushing
• coaxing
• spurring
• goading
• exhorting
• propelling
• pressing
• egging (on)
• driving
• stimulating
• imploring
• hurrying
• cajoling
• provoking
• beseeching
• pressuring
• rushing
• hustling
• importuning
• wheedling
• nagging
• fomenting
• inciting
• instigating
• stirring (up)
• needling
• adjuring
• blandishing
• soft-soaping
• high-pressuring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• discouraging
• deterring
• checking
• restraining
• dissuading
• curbing
• braking
• constraining
• inhibiting
• holding back

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of nudging

The right combination of nutrients (think magnesium, tryptophan, and complex carbohydrates) can actually steady blood sugar through the night, nudging the body towards better melatonin and serotonin production. — Patsy Anthony, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026

Rounds of streaming price hikes are nudging more viewers to cheaper ad tiers, with significant international growth potential. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026

Want brainwave tracking and real-time cues nudging you toward deeper stages? — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026

Luna is journeying through your second house of money, possessions and self-worth, gently nudging you toward fair exchanges. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2026

Ilya’s urging to slow down and observe the safety protocols merely result in Sam nudging him aside, along with Mira for a time. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

None of them won Saturday’s Powerball jackpot, nudging that up to $467 million for Monday’s drawing, or Friday’s Mega Millions top prize, which will be $345 million on Tuesday. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026

The fish folds its body, trying to turn or swim, the water nudging overtop. — Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

According to a growing mountain of research, people who like their beverages scalding hot may be nudging up their risk of an early grave. — New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026