1
as in stabs
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 urges
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prods
Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
The film takes place over three years in Valbona, a suburban district of Barcelona, as Guerín prods at issues of displacement, identity, urban life, and ecological conflicts in this small neighborhood that serves as a microcosm of the world.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prods
Verb
-
Alex breaks free and, in a panic, repeatedly stabs Evelyn with the syringe.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Spike takes one of Kelson's tranquilizer darts filled with morphine and stabs Samson in the arm with it.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Having overlooked many of her own symptoms, Farrington urges people to listen to their body and recognize when something doesn’t seem right.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The ad urges members and supporters to join the NRA’s bid to fight back in the congressional midterm elections, where it is expected that Democrats will make a national push for an assault weapons ban like the one former President Bill Clinton instituted in 1994.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
To Robin Wright’s multimillionaire gallery owner Laura, her son’s new girlfriend is a sleazy opportunist, a gold digger who lies about her academic and professional credentials and goads Laura by going down on Daniel (Laurie Davidson) in Laura’s house with the door open.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The neck of his daughter's guitar pokes out above chunks of concrete.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Who else pokes holes in this claim?—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Besides the gleaming blue hull, the 60-footer has an open layout that encourages sociability while promoting privacy in areas like the sunbed at the stern or foredeck lounge.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Each troll has a name and a story that encourages nature exploration and ultimately finding ways to protect the earth.—
Khadejeh Nikouyeh,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Without being able to compute directly from real stimuli, perceptual models could capture ideas in theory but fail simple real-world tests.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Our amygdala is overactive, our nervous systems are fried and our dopamine cycles are hijacked by short-term stimuli.—
Chris Schembra,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Admired by friends and adored by women, his longing for love and recognition spurs him on.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Their split spurs Alex’s unconventional midlife crisis, one without fancy muscle cars or a hot young babe on the arm.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Far from contemporary pop, each note and lyric demands your full attention; the reward is transcendence, even as the material nudges you to annotate like a philosophy student with a highlighter in hand.—
Thania Garcia,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Her leg nudges mine, the hem of her overalls inching up her thighs.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prods. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share