1
as in to brush
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
accidentally nudged me as they squeezed past
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the car salesman nudged me into taking a test-drive, even though I had said that I was just looking
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 nudge
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
Cost per wear nudges you toward fewer regrets at the register and a closet that earns its keep.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2026
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
So time to give it a little nudge in a better direction by firing up our spiffy new kettle — the last one overheated — for a cup of stimulation.
—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Verb
Mora picked the ball up on halfway and just kept on motoring forward, moving towards two runners on the right, eventually nudging the ball through for Jorge Sanchez, who bundled the ball across for Quinones to finish.
—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
Cost per wear nudges you toward fewer regrets at the register and a closet that earns its keep.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2026
Noun
Creative expression gets a friendly nudge as The Love Goddess Venus highlights your 5th House of Creativity, cooperating with quirky Uranus in your 3rd House of Communication.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
So time to give it a little nudge in a better direction by firing up our spiffy new kettle — the last one overheated — for a cup of stimulation.
—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudge
Verb
-
Lightly brush the ribs with bulgogi glaze during the final hour if desired.
-
The aisles were so choked that blooms and branches brushed against us, the air heady with the scent of lilies, roses, eucalyptus, and sweet decay.
Verb
-
Your 10th House of Career and Status receives Jupiter, urging long-range vision and public progress that grows through structure.
-
City officials are urging residents to take the heat seriously.
Noun
-
Beijing’s push to strengthen its domestic semiconductor industry has become more urgent as US export restrictions continue to limit access to leading chip manufacturing facilities such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).
-
The eastern flank of the fire also made a significant push north, but fire crews were able to protect the Glade Ranch subdivision and Benchmark Lookout, Cook said.
Verb
-
After kissing and dancing on Caleb McDaniel, Bryce Dettloff and Zach Georgiou, her level of effort seemingly dropped off for the rest of the male cast.
-
Eventually, Ferrel Onder went through with the shoot, with the male model kissing her on the neck instead of on the mouth in the final product.
Verb
-
Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.
-
Going forward, the city will encourage data center developers to submit an application for a special use district, meaning the site would specifically be used for a data center, nothing else.
Noun
-
For instance, there are glazed pork belly chunks served on crispy tostones, tuna tataki with a jerk-spice rub, and a bright, citrusy conch salad.
-
Learn how to cook lionfish ceviche, jerk chicken, and more with a group of like-minded people from all over the world, concluding with an alfresco feast—a true one-of-a-kind connection between strangers.
Verb
-
Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic.
-
Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, 40 to 45 minutes.
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudge. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
