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
This suggests that enterprises are no longer satisfied with AI chatbots gently nudging increases in productivity.
—
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Whether financial or professional, something is nudging at you, reminding you to own up to your sense of self-worth.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Betting platforms have to call outcomes accurately or they’ll get dropped from the cable-news scroll, and insiders nudging odds toward correct answers help with that.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
From July 2024 to July 2025, Charlotte added 20,731 people, and also nudging its population total closer to the 1 million mark, according to Census Bureau estimates released Thursday.
—John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
Seven gentle touches later, each nudging the ball only a few inches at a time, was enough to paralyse Diouf.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The French hospitality giant that pioneered the concept in 1950 has spent the past two decades nudging it steadily upmarket, phasing out its midscale portfolio and focusing exclusively on premium properties, often in more complex categories.
—Ashlea Halpern, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
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
Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Whether financial or professional, something is nudging at you, reminding you to own up to your sense of self-worth.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Betting platforms have to call outcomes accurately or they’ll get dropped from the cable-news scroll, and insiders nudging odds toward correct answers help with that.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
From July 2024 to July 2025, Charlotte added 20,731 people, and also nudging its population total closer to the 1 million mark, according to Census Bureau estimates released Thursday.
—John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
Seven gentle touches later, each nudging the ball only a few inches at a time, was enough to paralyse Diouf.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 12 May 2026
The French hospitality giant that pioneered the concept in 1950 has spent the past two decades nudging it steadily upmarket, phasing out its midscale portfolio and focusing exclusively on premium properties, often in more complex categories.
—Ashlea Halpern, Time, 30 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
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The sisters, brushing their teeth, speak telepathically, inner thoughts printed in caption text across the screen.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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As a guest, Monroe was likely brushing elbows with other old Hollywood stars like Cary Grant and Elizabeth Taylor.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Bahrain’s interior ministry also sounded warning sirens urging residents to seek shelter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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The league also sent a letter to Jordan signed by 21 members of Congress urging caution with any changes to the broadcasting law.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Back then, Elordi was seen kissing Kidman’s hand, and the two attended the same afterparty.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
26 May 2026
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On April 8, Jonas shared a photo on Instagram of himself kissing Malti on her head.—
Lexi Lane,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
Verb
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After returning to the United States, investigators say O’Rourke continued the alleged scam by encouraging friends and family members to organize additional fundraising events on her behalf.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
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One partner gets a little embarrassed, but the other lightens the mood and keeps encouraging them.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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