1
as in poking
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 urging
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 prodding
Payton now will be in the Parcells role, a Super Bowl-winning coach with an endless reservoir of experience pushing and prodding a young assistant with clear potential and the edge that comes with it.
—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
The steady march of progress, as demonstrated by these latest research papers, is prodding organizations with the most to lose to err on the side of Q Day—the day a cryptographically relevant quantum computer arrives—coming sooner rather than later.
—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been vocal about prodding the BOJ to keep hiking.
—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Be careful prodding Beth about Jamie, Beulah!
—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 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
Kuhner is a writer, and, a few months after his family arrived, neighbors started prodding him to take over the local bookstore, which was being sold.
—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
And six years later, Donovan is still prodding and cajoling the forward to crash the boards and control his dribble and contribute physically to the game.
—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Some say his solo effort against Manchester City in 2021 was the pinnacle, when the winger waltzed past one of the best defenses in the world before prodding his shot into the side-netting.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
25 Mar. 2026
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
The steady march of progress, as demonstrated by these latest research papers, is prodding organizations with the most to lose to err on the side of Q Day—the day a cryptographically relevant quantum computer arrives—coming sooner rather than later.
—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
23 June 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been vocal about prodding the BOJ to keep hiking.
—
William Pesek,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Be careful prodding Beth about Jamie, Beulah!
—
William Earl,
Variety,
12 June 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
Kuhner is a writer, and, a few months after his family arrived, neighbors started prodding him to take over the local bookstore, which was being sold.
—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
And six years later, Donovan is still prodding and cajoling the forward to crash the boards and control his dribble and contribute physically to the game.
—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Some say his solo effort against Manchester City in 2021 was the pinnacle, when the winger waltzed past one of the best defenses in the world before prodding his shot into the side-netting.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prodding
Verb
-
Calderón, a big, bald man wearing a gold chain and cross-shaped earrings, sat off to the side, amid an entourage of muscular assistants in polo shirts, poking at his phone.
-
If their edges are poking out from your ice sphere, your ice will melt and break apart faster.
Verb
-
Your 10th House of Career and Status receives Jupiter, urging long-range vision and public progress that grows through structure.
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City officials are urging residents to take the heat seriously.
Verb
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Messi was trying to get a ball away from an Algerian player when he was seen digging his cleat into the back of the player’s calf.
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Masks are still prohibited during firefighters’ most grueling tasks — digging lines to stop fires and directly attacking flames.
Verb
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The new searchable databases work against those calls, encouraging Germans to look more closely at their own families’ association with Nazism and prompting fresh reflections on how ordinary citizens came to normalize extremism.
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Passionate Mars in your 11th House of Friends sextiles Jupiter in your 1st House of Identity, encouraging brave outreach that feels warm and realistic.
Verb
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Geller, a former Democratic state lawmaker and county party chair, said that state policies on school choice and federal action spurring deportations could be detractors.
-
Weiss-Wolf is inspired by the pace at which states have passed menopause legislation, and the potential for spurring federal laws.
Verb
-
Mora picked the ball up on halfway and just kept on motoring forward, moving towards two runners on the right, eventually nudging the ball through for Jorge Sanchez, who bundled the ball across for Quinones to finish.
-
But the temperatures in Paris — with record highs for June nudging past 40 C (104 F) during the day and 25 C (77 F) at night — have been grueling.
Verb
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The film centers on a New York murder trial where a teenage boy is accused of stabbing his abusive dad and a jury has the kid's fate in their hands.
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In one instance, the suspect is accused of personally taking part in the killing by stabbing a victim in the chest with a knife, the prosecutors said.
Verb
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His Dahl is constantly goading people, driving them right up to the edge of their tolerance.
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So, does Roan deserve all the credit for softening the nature of these carpets, where dozens of photographers gather to scream goading or even offensive remarks at talent just to get their attention?
Cite this Entry
“Prodding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prodding. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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