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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nudging
In the past, these placements were also a reliable driver of indirect traffic, boosting your SERP visibility and nudging readers back to your site.
—
Noa Eshed, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
In any event, this retrograde is nudging you to choose quality over quantity.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In nudging the city toward a healthier, safer, more equitable version of itself.
—Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Guidance For full-year fiscal 2026, CrowdStrike management left its revenue outlook essentially unchanged, nudging up the low end by $5 million.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025
Butorac has spent much of the past year quizzing, cajoling and nudging those stars, ultimately devising a format geared to their needs.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
The two appeared to exchange words while walking toward security, with Richardson still nudging him and appearing to reach for his face.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Two colleagues, bouncing from prompt to prompt, nudging each other along until someone stumbles onto a key that finally turns a lock.
—Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Its best hope may be nudging the United Nations to a less Western tilt.
—Nick Thomas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Noa Eshed, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
In any event, this retrograde is nudging you to choose quality over quantity.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
In nudging the city toward a healthier, safer, more equitable version of itself.
—Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Guidance For full-year fiscal 2026, CrowdStrike management left its revenue outlook essentially unchanged, nudging up the low end by $5 million.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025
Butorac has spent much of the past year quizzing, cajoling and nudging those stars, ultimately devising a format geared to their needs.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
The two appeared to exchange words while walking toward security, with Richardson still nudging him and appearing to reach for his face.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Two colleagues, bouncing from prompt to prompt, nudging each other along until someone stumbles onto a key that finally turns a lock.
—Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Its best hope may be nudging the United Nations to a less Western tilt.
—Nick Thomas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
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To help avoid tonsil stones, maintain your oral hygiene by brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist regularly.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Later, Teegan and Ethan reacted to the rumor, brushing it off and calling out Veronica for her behavior.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Transportation Security Administration and Federal Aviation Administration have been flagging devices like portable power banks, laptops and cell phones for a while, urging travelers to carry them on board instead of checking them with their bags.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
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The New York Times filed its letter July 30, urging the judge overseeing the estate to unseal the reports, saying they were designated as confidential without any justification for the sealing.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Puck reported that the staffer accused Murray of straddling her near a prop bed on set and kissing her on the mouth through the face masks that both were wearing under COVID-19 protocols.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Ansari had about three-quarters of Being Mortal in the can when a female production assistant accused Murray of climbing on top of her in a bed and kissing her through their COVID masks.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As a practical matter, California making this move will only further inflame the gerrymandering problem, encouraging a further spiral of gerrymandering offsetting Democratic gains in other states.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
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Walking tours are also gaining prominence, minimizing car use and encouraging a deeper connection with the city.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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