1
2
as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
a public outcry eventually prodded the politicians into action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stimulus
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 prod
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
Poke and prod correctly, and the gears of this puzzle box begin to turn.
—Luke Winkie, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 July 2025
The absence of lobster traps and not being poked and prodded by divers armed with snares, tickle sticks and nets for nearly four months usually results in an abundance of bugs, a term that refers to the insect-like appearance of lobsters.
—Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Verb
His desire to poke, prod, and contemplate the perverse ironies of mortality is still present and accounted for, however.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2025
Poke and prod correctly, and the gears of this puzzle box begin to turn.
—Luke Winkie, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
Trump has threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia to prod Putin into peace talks.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 July 2025
The absence of lobster traps and not being poked and prodded by divers armed with snares, tickle sticks and nets for nearly four months usually results in an abundance of bugs, a term that refers to the insect-like appearance of lobsters.
—Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prod
Verb
-
This review pokes a useful hole in the breathless reception this film received, while managing to feel fond.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
-
The dish is almost a tease, tickling and poking you by showcasing carrots such that here a confident argument is made to herald them in as the pre-eminent salad vegetable.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
A day earlier, conservative host Megyn Kelly urged Trump against potentially pardoning Combs.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Authorities urge anyone with information to call 1-800-TBI-FIND.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
To put it into perspective, the two 2020 and one 2021 stimulus checks issued to Americans from the stimulus package totaled around $931 billion in financial relief via the stimulus checks, according to reports from the Government Accountability Office in 2022.—
Joyce Orlando,
Nashville Tennessean,
25 July 2025
-
The big story China’s economy requires more than short-term stimulus, even as deflationary pressures intensify.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
But Morgan Stanley suggested the feeble job gains of the past three months would spur the Fed to act in September despite stable unemployment.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
1 Aug. 2025
-
The meeting between the two men is what initially spurred the FBI’s Russia investigation, after Papadopoulos relayed what Misfud had told him to Australian diplomats at a bar.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
During his latter stint on the council, Spelman called on Austin police to reevaluate how officers spent their time and encouraged the city to consider alternative programs to reduce crime.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
-
Community members are encouraged to see the stadium before the start of the 2025 football season.—
Katie Nixon,
The Tennessean,
25 July 2025
Verb
-
The students -- roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin -- were stabbed to death at the girls' off-campus house on Nov. 13, 2022.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
24 July 2025
-
Kernodle died from lacerations to her heart and lungs, and she had been stabbed more than 50 times.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
Taken together across the economy, the smaller pool of job seekers roughly has offset the softer demand, nudging down the unemployment rate from 4.2% to a historically low 4.1% in June.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
-
Game Design Choices Carry Real Compliance Risk Regulators have also turned their attention to the ways games nudge users into spending.—
AJ Dhaliwal,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
During a Monday press conference, lawmakers and The Boring Co. officials did not share details on any incentives The Boring Co. receives.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
-
Loyalty programs—built through airline partnerships, premium tiers and behavioral incentives—can further deepen trust and retention.—
Baranitharan Venkatakrishnan,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prod. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share