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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of prod
George Avalos, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
The song is a reflection of the pressure on Joel to follow up on his success in the late 70s, and the prodding synthesizer riff adds to the claustrophobic nature of the tune.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In an entry hall, kites overhead, frozen mid-swoop, are by Yinka Shonibare, a Nigerian Brit who works in batik as a prod at colonialism.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Verb
The dynamic has prodded PG&E to ramp up efforts to upgrade and expand its electrical system in the South Bay and elsewhere.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
The song is a reflection of the pressure on Joel to follow up on his success in the late 70s, and the prodding synthesizer riff adds to the claustrophobic nature of the tune.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Noun
In response to my prod, the bot merely teeters.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In an entry hall, kites overhead, frozen mid-swoop, are by Yinka Shonibare, a Nigerian Brit who works in batik as a prod at colonialism.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prod
Verb
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Millions and millions of people tuned in to watch Johnny Carson poke fun at everyone, identify and support up-and-coming comics, entertain with clever and timeless skits, bring on musical guests and tell jokes.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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Even Parsons himself poked fun at such notions.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Residents at the meeting questioned why large quantities of the chemical were stored near homes and urged city officials to scrutinize the company’s safety practices.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
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Residents are urged to call 211 to find specific resources or basic information before, during, and after a disaster.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
27 May 2026
Noun
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Competitor Ross saw comparable sales jump a staggering 17%, beating expectations of 9%, and also attributed some of its outsize growth to extra stimulus.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
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The Obama administration did spend $34 million from the $787 billion 2009 economic stimulus package — or less than four one-thousandths of 1% of the total package — to reconstruct the Reflecting Pool in a two-year project that wrapped up in August 2012.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The rise of K-pop rapper Jackson Wang, who was a competitive fencer before turning his attention to music, has also spurred awareness of the sport among Gen Z and Gen Alpha.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 May 2026
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This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Speaking between ballots, Tafoya repeatedly reminded delegates about the importance of winning the general election, while Schwarze encouraged them not to compromise their principles.—
Jay Gabler,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
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Kramer said the attendance cap was intentional and designed to encourage visitors to attend events throughout the region.—
Ben Wheeler
May 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Three days later, the insurer reversed the decision, approving deep brain stimulation for Cambrie.—
Marina Kopf,
NBC news,
27 May 2026
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One is that your leg muscles need stimulation, so being at a standing desk doesn’t make a difference.—
Kara Alaimo,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Verb
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Swan screamed and tried to get up from her seat, but Matthews allegedly held onto her right arm and stabbed her approximately 18 to 20 times, the affidavit says.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Authorities said Anthony admitted stabbing Metcalf and asked whether the teen would be OK.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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If the projector's portability, ease of use and streaming chops are as good in practice as the company claims, the D1R air could nudge the portable projector category a little closer to behaving like the TV most people already know how to operate.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 May 2026
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The discount is designed to nudge learners from app practice into a real conversation with a local host.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prod. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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