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
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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
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Recent Examples of prods
Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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
-
The department urges drone owners and operators to fly responsibly and follow FAA regulations and best practices, whether flying commercially or recreationally.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Lu urges those who have consistent problems with the quality, timing and amount of sleep to seek help from a sleep specialist.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 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
-
Later in the episode, Kelce's cohost and brother, Jason Kelce, pokes fun at Lively's athleticism in a storyline that sees Bridget attend a soccer camp.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The trailer for Season 6 of Solar Opposites, released today, pokes fun of the show’s imminent end.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sharing their positive experiences encourages others, especially younger or shier players, to seek help.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Additionally, a spacious roof terrace provides a communal space for residents that encourages them to get fresh air.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Surveying 453 dog owners, scientists found that canines’ responses were strongly influenced by the type of stimuli—such as animals or objects—and their watching behavior, whether following the action or remaining still.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
-
The receptors in your hands respond to myriad stimuli-like pressures—vibrations in sync with 15 different families of neurons.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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From this point of view, Xidan Books may seem to suffer from comparison with the Zhongshuge chain, whose outlets are drawing increasing numbers of Beijing readers thanks to interior design that catches the eye and spurs a desire to linger at length.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jeanroy squats down, nudges Taïga aside, and starts digging with a cavadou—a sort of pick that resembles a very scary dental tool.—
Aislyn Greene,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
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His arrival stirs faint whispers under the Song statues and quietly nudges Hongmei’s buried past toward the surface.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prods. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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