1
2
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
a public outcry eventually prodded the politicians into action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stimulus
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of prod
Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
But don’t poke or prod too deeply.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2025
Washington Post Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
Don’t the judges just parade you around, then poke, prod and grope you?
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Verb
When prodded about the inevitable backlash to his more expensive proposals, Mamdani shrugged.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
But don’t poke or prod too deeply.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
Biden used government largesse to prod companies to give special treatment to unions and minorities.
—Washington Post Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 17 Aug. 2025
Don’t the judges just parade you around, then poke, prod and grope you?
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prod
Verb
-
Vogue's Anna Wintour playfully poked fun at Rocky's daughter being his namesake in her introduction to the rapper, 37.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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Sad and Beautiful World finds Mavis, 86, exploring, rediscovering, and poking holes at her lifetime of righteous optimism.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Porat closed by urging leaders to really dig in and reimagine what’s possible in their own organizations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Anyone with information regarding this incident was urged to contact the Chandler Police Department at 480-782-4130.—
Wren Smetana,
AZCentral.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The salience network, which responds to external stimuli.—
Angelica Bottaro,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
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Without being able to compute directly from real stimuli, perceptual models could capture ideas in theory but fail simple real-world tests.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The election results could spur one party to reach a deal sooner rather than later, clearing the way for federal employees and benefits to be paid again.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The first spurred his resignation from the governorship in July 2004.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of scrolling through Instagram—or, admittedly, hitting the snooze button a few too many times—Vig encourages you to spend that time sprucing up your space.—
Kelsey Mulvey,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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Police are encouraging anyone with knowledge of the crash to come forward with further details.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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If medications aren't effective, other options may include Botox injections into the bladder wall or nerve stimulation therapy.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
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While outdoor time can offer stimulation and exercise, unsupervised access poses serious risks that significantly reduce their life span.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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David Arquette will somehow reprise his role as Dewey Riley, despite the fact that the character was stabbed to death a couple movies ago.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
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Arredondo allegedly stabbed Paulos 30 times before fleeing the scene and then vanishing altogether, police said.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her leg nudges mine, the hem of her overalls inching up her thighs.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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Should that put the kibosh on a trade that will nudge Steph Curry closer to his fifth ring?—
Ricardo Sandoval,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prod. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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