budge

1 of 3

noun

Synonyms of budgenext
: a fur formerly prepared from lambskin dressed with the wool outward

budge

2 of 3

verb

budged; budging

intransitive verb

1
: move, shift
the mule wouldn't budge
2
: to give way : yield
wouldn't budge on the issue

transitive verb

: to cause to move or change

budge

3 of 3

adjective

archaic

Examples of budge in a Sentence

Verb Their horses refused to budge. The door was stuck, and we couldn't even get it to budge. Could you try opening this jar for me? I can't budge the lid. We tried to change her mind, but we couldn't budge her.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
The iconic blue peel-off stain for all-day lip color feels like nothing on your lips and is transfer-proof, budge-proof and won't feather into lines. ABC News, 19 May 2026 However, despite endless talks, Beijing never budges, and eventually domestic concerns take precedence as midterms loom. Take China’s export of fentanyl precursors, which the Drug Enforcement Agency first flagged as a serious problem back in 2015. Charlie Campbell, Time, 7 May 2026
Verb
Moss spoke with The Baltimore Sun about why the Triple Crown calendar hasn’t budged, why that might soon change and why trainers have started caring more in recent years. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 11 May 2026 However, Baldoni, who was accused of orchestrating a campaign of retaliation against the actress, wouldn’t budge. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 May 2026
Adjective
These spritzes have the same no-budge hold on makeup as any other setting mist, but the key difference lies in their radiant—not matte or shimmery—finishes. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Apr. 2026 Despite the unprecedented capabilities – and uncanny, seemingly humanlike qualities – of generative AI, the limit on how much human work can be fully automated will continue to only very slowly budge. Eric Siegel, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for budge

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bugee, from Anglo-French buge

Verb

Anglo-French bouger, from Vulgar Latin *bullicare, from Latin bullire to boil — more at boil

Adjective

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1578, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of budge was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Budge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/budge. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

budge

verb
ˈbəj
budged; budging
1
2
: give in, yield
wouldn't budge on their opinion

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