urge 1 of 2

verb

ˈərj How to pronounce urge (audio)
Definition of urgenext
as in to encourage
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action the public service announcement urges pet owners to spay or neuter their pets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

urge

2 of 2

noun

as in desire
a strong wish for something I'm trying to resist the urge to eat another piece of cake

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 urge
Verb
The weather service called this kind of heat normal for the area at this time of year but urged residents to stay prepared. — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026 Anyone with information about Denijah Myers’s disappearance is urged to contact the Detroit Police Department at 313-596-5840 or call 1-800-SPEAK-UP. — Francie Ebert, NBC news, 13 July 2026
Noun
Libra September 23 – October 22 Ambitions rise while playful urges tug back. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2026 Almost a visceral urge to answer criticism. — Time, Time, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for urge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for urge
  1. encourage
  2. desire
  3. craving
  4. longing
  5. thirst
  6. hunger
Verb
  • They are accused of encouraging dissent against the regime and were convicted of broad charges of corruption, CNN’s Isobel Yeung reports.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • The Overland Park exhibition invited Black artists from across the Kansas City area to present work that reflected their identities, encouraging each artist to define themselves on their own terms.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
Definition of encourage
Noun
  • Cary, torn between his own desires and others’ expectations, can’t seem to determine where his loyalties lie.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in the 80-minute one-act play, which won Escola a Tony Award.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of desire
Noun
  • Guests can also satisfy their sushi cravings at Miso Phat, located beside Kihei Caffe.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • From gorgeous cakes to fruity popsicles, these blueberry dessert recipes will satisfy your sweet cravings.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of craving
Noun
  • History has shown us that the very celebration of our shared longing for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ensures that those values will endure.
    — Lonnie G. Bunch III, The Atlantic, 4 July 2026
  • But what Spiro is writing about in most of these tunes is something a little more interesting than standard loss-and-longing fare.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026
Definition of longing
Noun
  • Independent filmmakers don’t have enough money to create thirst from ads.
    — Daren Smith, IndieWire, 8 July 2026
  • Kombucha fans can quench their thirst at the Farmacy on Main’s unique kombucha bar.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
Definition of thirst
Noun
  • How protein fits into your daily diet Protein supplies the amino acids your body uses to repair muscle, produce enzymes and keep hunger in check.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson July 9, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026
  • Researchers found that increasing protein intake reduces ghrelin levels, a hunger hormone.
    — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 7 July 2026
Definition of hunger

Browse Nearby Words

urchins
urge
urged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Urge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/urge. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on urge

Nglish: Translation of urge for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All