1
as in poked
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
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2
as in urged
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prodded
Leader after leader prodded the Bank of Japan to cut rates.
—
William Pesek, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The show’s sixth season, 2003’s The Amazon, prodded two female players to strip naked to win a peanut-butter-and-chocolate reward.
—David Canfield, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
But the coronavirus outbreak that chased countless workers out of their offices in the Bay Area and nationwide prodded numerous real estate firms to rethink their plans about developing — or even owning — office sites.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Jarrett prodded the Bears to collectively turn their embarrassment into fearlessness.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Specifically, McCarthy said she's constantly been prodded about her body.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 7 Dec. 2025
That revelation prodded insurgents in British possessions from Ireland to Sierra Leone to take to the streets to assert their own ambitions for economic and political autonomy over the decades to come.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
What ensues is a twisty mystery that is, per The Hollywood Reporter‘s review, poked and prodded at from all angles.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
At a local bar, Police Chief Clint Bowers is being prodded to arrest him, lack of evidence be damned.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
William Pesek, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The show’s sixth season, 2003’s The Amazon, prodded two female players to strip naked to win a peanut-butter-and-chocolate reward.
—David Canfield, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026
But the coronavirus outbreak that chased countless workers out of their offices in the Bay Area and nationwide prodded numerous real estate firms to rethink their plans about developing — or even owning — office sites.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026
Jarrett prodded the Bears to collectively turn their embarrassment into fearlessness.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
Specifically, McCarthy said she's constantly been prodded about her body.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 7 Dec. 2025
That revelation prodded insurgents in British possessions from Ireland to Sierra Leone to take to the streets to assert their own ambitions for economic and political autonomy over the decades to come.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
What ensues is a twisty mystery that is, per The Hollywood Reporter‘s review, poked and prodded at from all angles.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025
At a local bar, Police Chief Clint Bowers is being prodded to arrest him, lack of evidence be damned.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodded
Verb
-
During the winter storm, the department’s official X account went viral for a series of self-aware, tongue-in-cheek posts that poked fun at drivers, the weather and even the officers themselves.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Hadn’t poked my nose in anywhere, hadn’t seen anything, and just really enjoyed watching the film.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For their part, Chinese leaders have urged visiting nations to create fair environments for Chinese businesses operating or investing locally.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Professionals are implicitly urged to respond faster, compress the calendar and add more tracking to show work in motion.—
Dilan Gomih,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shot a bunch of times in the stomach, twice in the head, stabbed in the arm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
But the couple's elderly dog was inside the apartment and was stabbed between the eyes, authorities said.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But Flint encouraged people to attend the commissioners’ court meeting and speak against the Comanche Circle proposal.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
-
All retailers are being encouraged to honor customer claims.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Roughly one hundred Uffizi staffers staged a demonstration in the courtyard of the venerable Florence institution on January 4, protesting an effective layoff of the museum’s casual workers spurred by a change in service managers.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Estrada said his experience in caregiving was spurred by his father, whose occasional visits were sometimes accompanied by violence, particularly toward his mother.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As if nudged, Olie raised her head and began to speak.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Young, at the time working as a pizza maker at a Wegmans grocery store, briefly opened the door and then tried to shut it, taking out the knife when McEvilley nudged it back.—
Sheetal Banchariya,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Once a hole is dug, a tall crane slowly slides in a rebar cage that resembles a wire mesh dinosaur spine so the hole can be filled with concrete.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
New York City public schools will reopen Tuesday after nearly 375,000 students participated in remote learning Monday as the city dug its way out of nearly a foot of snow, Mayor Mamdani said.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Joe Mazzulla tipped his cap to Patriots counterpart Mike Vrabel after New England punched its ticket to Super Bowl LX.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
-
For many, the surge in gold prices has punched a hole in their wedding budgets.—
Preeti Soni,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prodded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodded. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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