nudged; nudging
1
: to touch or push gently
… nudged the cue ball with the tip of the cue.—
Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux
especially
: to seek the attention of by a push of the elbow
… nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy … —J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling 2
: to prod lightly : urge into action
… have been nudged into starting their own ventures …—Janet Bamford
Janet Bamford3
: approach
… its circulation is nudging the four million mark …—Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf
: to give a nudge
She nudged and jostled through the crowd.
nudge
noun
nudger
noun
Examples of nudge in a Sentence
I nudged the plate closer to him.
The guard nudged the prisoner forward.
The dog nudged the ball with his nose.
He nudged me and pointed to the deer.
The salesman nudged her into testing out the car.
Album sales are nudging the one million mark.
The price of gold has nudged a little higher.
Recent Examples on the Web
Use your spatula to nudge it into the corners and spread it into an even layer.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Netflix has also quietly been reshaping the economics of its service to nudge more people toward ads.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Fragrant Thai basil, briny fish sauce, and tangy tamarind anchor rotating menus that nudge diners to dive deeper into the complex flavors of Thai cuisine.
—Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 15 May 2026
From July 2024 to July 2025, Charlotte added 20,731 people, and also nudging its population total closer to the 1 million mark, according to Census Bureau estimates released Thursday.
—John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
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Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2026
Netflix has also quietly been reshaping the economics of its service to nudge more people toward ads.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Fragrant Thai basil, briny fish sauce, and tangy tamarind anchor rotating menus that nudge diners to dive deeper into the complex flavors of Thai cuisine.
—Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 15 May 2026
From July 2024 to July 2025, Charlotte added 20,731 people, and also nudging its population total closer to the 1 million mark, according to Census Bureau estimates released Thursday.
—John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nudge. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nudge
verb
nudged; nudging
: to touch or push gently
especially
: to attract the attention of by a push of the elbow
nudge
noun
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