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
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
When prodded about the inevitable backlash to his more expensive proposals, Mamdani shrugged.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
After Kempes opened the scoring with a clever sliding finish past the advancing Jan Jongbloed, Argentine goalkeeper Fillol was caught too wide for Dick Nanninga’s headed equaliser, and was similarly too far out when Dutch forward Rob Rensenbrink prodded against the post in stoppage time.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
That meant Hufanga spent a good chunk of the offseason not just learning a new system, but getting poked and prodded by his new coaches and running mate Jones.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
The brewery company lost a financial partner recently, a departure that prodded the partners to embark on the complete shutdown of the business and the dismissal of all its workers.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
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
When prodded about the inevitable backlash to his more expensive proposals, Mamdani shrugged.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
After Kempes opened the scoring with a clever sliding finish past the advancing Jan Jongbloed, Argentine goalkeeper Fillol was caught too wide for Dick Nanninga’s headed equaliser, and was similarly too far out when Dutch forward Rob Rensenbrink prodded against the post in stoppage time.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
That meant Hufanga spent a good chunk of the offseason not just learning a new system, but getting poked and prodded by his new coaches and running mate Jones.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
The brewery company lost a financial partner recently, a departure that prodded the partners to embark on the complete shutdown of the business and the dismissal of all its workers.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodded
Verb
-
Whoopi Goldberg, Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne were among the stars expressing their outrage, while Ryan Reynolds poked fun at Tilly in his new Mint Mobile ad.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Low branches poked at the roof of our boat and brushed our arms.—
Idra Novey,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Fans are urged to wear white at Ford Field.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
During that visit, then Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo urged Francis in unusually frank terms to take concrete action.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Investigators found the bodies nearby — Davis and Shelton had been shot, Friedt had been stabbed with a hunting knife whose blade broke off in her chest, and Flemmons died from asphyxiation after suffering blunt-force injuries, per A&E, citing Julie Young’s book The Burger Chef Murders in Indiana.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The ambassador stabbed Berry during the struggle, the Sheriff’s Office said.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The city’s emergency overflow shelter is available to adults over 18, with capacity for dogs in kennels, but the office encouraged people who need a warm place to sleep to seek primary shelters as a first option.—
Austin Hornbostel,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 Nov. 2025
-
During the end of the latter track, Lauper encouraged audience members to sing along and brought Salt-n-Pepa onstage to join in.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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By allowing 26 second-chance points and 19 points off turnovers, the Bulls dug themselves deep on their own.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The coach, Mike McDaniel, proved a creative play-drawer, but dug an 0-3 hole in the season’s opening 12 days and beat just one winning team, Buffalo.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Jenkins brutally stomped and punched Coto, who was severely injured and put on life support.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prodded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodded. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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