1
as in brushing
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 urging
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.
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Recent Examples of nudging
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
But the temperatures in Paris — with record highs for June nudging past 40 C (104 F) during the day and 25 C (77 F) at night — have been grueling.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Families can play a vital role in nudging dads towards these life-extending steps.
—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
The administration frames the free model as a deliberate effort to route economic activity and equity toward small businesses, backed by a Five Borough Winners Special promotion nudging fans into neighborhood bars and restaurants rather than FIFA’s perimeter.
—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
The state in recent months has begun nudging the river district and the eight groundwater districts within the basin to begin taking more concrete steps to slow the depletion.
—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
The nurturing Moon enters your 6th House of Daily Routine, nudging you to set a clear calendar block that protects your focus.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
As evening begins, the moody Moon in Aquarius forms an easy sextile with healing Chiron, nudging supportive conversations within groups and wider circles.
—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2026
Summer in New York has a way of nudging even my all-black wardrobe in a more colorful direction, inspiring me to experiment with brighter shades—if only on my nails (which, in my book, absolutely counts as a pop of color).
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
But the temperatures in Paris — with record highs for June nudging past 40 C (104 F) during the day and 25 C (77 F) at night — have been grueling.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Families can play a vital role in nudging dads towards these life-extending steps.
—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
The administration frames the free model as a deliberate effort to route economic activity and equity toward small businesses, backed by a Five Borough Winners Special promotion nudging fans into neighborhood bars and restaurants rather than FIFA’s perimeter.
—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
The state in recent months has begun nudging the river district and the eight groundwater districts within the basin to begin taking more concrete steps to slow the depletion.
—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
The nurturing Moon enters your 6th House of Daily Routine, nudging you to set a clear calendar block that protects your focus.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
As evening begins, the moody Moon in Aquarius forms an easy sextile with healing Chiron, nudging supportive conversations within groups and wider circles.
—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2026
Summer in New York has a way of nudging even my all-black wardrobe in a more colorful direction, inspiring me to experiment with brighter shades—if only on my nails (which, in my book, absolutely counts as a pop of color).
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
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Officials are advising anyone who experienced a water outage or low water pressure in the affected area to boil tap water before using it for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing their teeth.
-
In my test shot, a sneaker remained, but brushing over it re-created the rocks underfoot.
Verb
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Your 10th House of Career and Status receives Jupiter, urging long-range vision and public progress that grows through structure.
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City officials are urging residents to take the heat seriously.
Verb
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When the Chiefs won, the Grammy winner joined Kelce on the field, kissing and hugging him.
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Cameras captured them kissing and hugging on the field after the game.
Verb
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The commission has launched several initiatives leading up to the anniversary, including America's Field Trip, a nationwide essay and artwork contest for students, and volunteer service campaigns encouraging Americans to log community service hours.
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No one was ever charged with pulling the trigger, but three other men, Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 37, and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, were charged with murder as accomplices for encouraging or assisting the shooter.
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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