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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nudging
The former is a ring on the bottom of the rock that skids across the ice, and the latter is a band around the sides of the rock that collides with other rocks (ideally knocking an opponent’s rock off the bull’s-eye or nudging your team’s closer to it).
—
Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2026
Shared decision-making tools that present options in balanced, comprehensible formats can support informed choice without nudging patients toward any particular decision.
—Jared Rhoads, STAT, 10 Feb. 2026
Forcing states to become more cost-conscious also provides motivation for state officials to enforce rather than water down work requirements for the able-bodied, nudging them on a more productive path and away from government dependency.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
When snowflakes began to fall, some stuck their tongues out and laughed, playfully nudging one another.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
After all the years of dreaming and campaigning and nudging the league for an outdoor game, Vinik suffered a major leg fracture during a snowmobiling accident on a trip to Norway with his kids.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The two appeared to exchange words while walking toward security, with Richardson still nudging him and appearing to reach for his face.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This February, the universe is nudging you to choose evolution over familiarity.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Anyone who actively uses a Fitbit tracker has likely long since moved over to a Google account, given how pro-active Google has been in nudging its audience to do so.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 10 Feb. 2026
Shared decision-making tools that present options in balanced, comprehensible formats can support informed choice without nudging patients toward any particular decision.
—Jared Rhoads, STAT, 10 Feb. 2026
Forcing states to become more cost-conscious also provides motivation for state officials to enforce rather than water down work requirements for the able-bodied, nudging them on a more productive path and away from government dependency.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
When snowflakes began to fall, some stuck their tongues out and laughed, playfully nudging one another.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
After all the years of dreaming and campaigning and nudging the league for an outdoor game, Vinik suffered a major leg fracture during a snowmobiling accident on a trip to Norway with his kids.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
The two appeared to exchange words while walking toward security, with Richardson still nudging him and appearing to reach for his face.
—Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
This February, the universe is nudging you to choose evolution over familiarity.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Jan. 2026
Anyone who actively uses a Fitbit tracker has likely long since moved over to a Google account, given how pro-active Google has been in nudging its audience to do so.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nudging
Verb
-
Allowing people to keep doing some tasks on their own, like brushing their teeth, is critical for keeping their sense of self in the world.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Turn them over; repeat brushing with olive oil and sprinkling seasonings.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Arab and Islamic countries, including Turkey and Qatar, have been urging both sides to show restraint, warning that any strike or retaliation could have destabilizing consequences for a region already strained by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.—
Farnoush Amiri,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The cases led investigators to release Garcia-Aquino's picture, urging any potential victims to come forward.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The heat is kissing 90 degrees on a mid-October Friday in Austin, where Bobby Epstein is giving a Jurassic Park-style media tour through the perpetually under construction Circuit of the Americas (COTA) racing grounds.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
10 Feb. 2026
-
There are so many benefits to kissing.—
Susan Spencer,
CBS News,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The challenge lies in balancing functional benefit with the risk of encouraging unnecessary anthropomorphism and its broader social consequences.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
This structure is intended to help keep value circulating within the community, encouraging positive participation rather than framing compliance as a penalty.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nudging. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
