prod 1 of 2

verb

ˈpräd How to pronounce prod (audio)
Definition of prodnext
1
as in to poke
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object kept prodding the sheep with a staff to move along faster

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

prod

2 of 2

noun

as in stimulus

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prod
Verb
But returning to the book as an adult, Kazan wanted to prod that reputation. — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Builders, prodded to work beyond city limits, adopted Olmsted’s vision for what those suburbs should look like. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
Michelle Montez, a flight attendant for 20 years, said barely a flight goes by where someone doesn’t poke, tap, prod or otherwise touch her. — Hannah Sampson, Washington Post, 28 May 2026 The cutbacks are going far beyond a friendly prod to boost NATO defense spending. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for prod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prod
  1. poke
  2. urge
  3. stimulus
  4. spur
  5. encourage
  6. stimulation
  7. stab
  8. nudge
Verb
  • Hours later, a group of rescuers in hard hats were using poles stripped from trees to poke at the huge pile of rubble.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Wilson crossed the ball over at a relaxed pace, and Leonard extended one arm of his 7-foot-3 wingspan to poke it away.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • The former electronic music has roots in disco, dub reggae, hip-hop—traditions in which the DJ, in search of records fresher and wilder than those in rival crates, is a central figure, urging producers to new heights of ingenuity.
    — Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Calder wrote to the State Department and successfully urged them to let in artists from Europe, such as Fernand Léger and André Masson.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of urge
Noun
  • China’s economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter thanks to the country’s powerful export machine, with domestic consumption still lagging and the authorities showing little interest in fiscal stimulus.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Visual stimuli produced more activity in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of stimulus
Verb
  • El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that spur changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Throughout October thousands joined the cause in Delhi and other Indian cities, their marches spurred by anger directed against an ongoing national exercise to overhaul the country’s electoral register.
    — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of spur
Verb
  • Though the board does not have the authority to forgive the charges, which will still be due by the end of the year, board President Allan Marks encouraged residents to enroll in programs that could help alleviate rising costs.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • According to Ueda, an enthusiastic online response encouraged its adaptation to feature length and a theatrical release.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourage
Noun
  • The high hormone levels involved in ovarian stimulation have also been a concern, though there are new techniques to reduce that risk.
    — Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Vagus nerve stimulation devices are another emerging success story.
    — Amy O’Brien, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of stimulation
Verb
  • Last month, a Sikh truck driver was stabbed 17 times at a Wyoming rest stop.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • An East Bay man accused of fatally stabbing his wife earlier this month was out on bail in a domestic violence case, prosecutors said.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of stab
Verb
  • Vance has neither criticized his friend nor publicly nudged Carlson to temper what’s been harsh criticism of Israel — and Trump’s cultivation of the Netanyahu government.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Asteroids could also be nudged into more stable orbits, allowing more extensive future missions.
    — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of nudge

Browse Nearby Words

procuring
prod
prodded
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Cite this Entry

“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prod. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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