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
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
As much as analyst Jessica Reif Erlich prodded, Woodbury declined to give numbers of any sort for Epic post-launch.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
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
As much as analyst Jessica Reif Erlich prodded, Woodbury declined to give numbers of any sort for Epic post-launch.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodded
Verb
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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
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Chairwoman Robyn Denholm urged shareholders to support it, warning in a letter Monday that the company risks losing significant value if the deal fails and Musk opts to step down as chief executive.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
-
As the situation deteriorates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany among others have urged their nationals to leave Bamako.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Like the other eight couples who were killed, they were found shot and stabbed in their cars.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
As president of the United States, he was stabbed in the heart with a letter opener by a septuagenarian cuckold.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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It was famed British actor Laurence Olivier who encouraged Hopkins to pursue mental health therapy and see a psychiatrist.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Those who felt the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Chinese prowess in building entire supply chains has spurred the United States and Europe to talk of reindustrialization to avoid any overreliance on Beijing.—
Shaoyu Yuan,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
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Surfing soon dominated my Internet searches, hijacked my REM cycles, inspired a move to California, and spurred a new approach to travel.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While on a high school field trip to see the British literature art collection at Yale University, a teacher nudged Riccoboni to skip the literature-centric exhibit and instead pop into a nearby gallery to see Hockney’s work.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Nov. 2025
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Would that have nudged him to the winner’s circle?—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bring a headlamp to walk your bike through three 1870s railroad tunnels, each hand-dug by crews armed with little more than picks and shovels.—
Erin Gifford,
Outside,
30 Oct. 2025
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New beds should be dug or loosened to a depth of 12 inches for varieties with larger bulbs.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In response, Delaware last March passed a law to make the state more alluring, to which Texas quickly counter-punched with an even friendlier law.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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The woman punched the air with her umbrella.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prodded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodded. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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