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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
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Recent Examples of prod
Simon Johnson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Technicians poke and prod every component at test benches attached to custom boards with thousands of nodes.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026
James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In an entry hall, kites overhead, frozen mid-swoop, are by Yinka Shonibare, a Nigerian Brit who works in batik as a prod at colonialism.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Verb
Ryan Yates prodded the ball to Dilane Bakwa, who in turn crossed for Taiwo Awoniyi to guide home a header and put them in front.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Technicians poke and prod every component at test benches attached to custom boards with thousands of nodes.
—Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
In response to my prod, the bot merely teeters.
—James Vincent, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In an entry hall, kites overhead, frozen mid-swoop, are by Yinka Shonibare, a Nigerian Brit who works in batik as a prod at colonialism.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prod
Verb
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Spikes of speedwell look lovely poking up along the edges of paths and garden beds in summer.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
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Some birds also will poke holes in the ground looking for tasty critters.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Citing statements from jurors and a county clerk who aided Hill, Murdaugh's lawyers say Hill urged jurors not to be confused by Murdaugh's defense tactics and to watch his body language — and that she was motivated by plans to publish a book about the case.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
13 May 2026
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Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images India, the world's second-largest gold consumer, has raised import duties on gold and silver to 15% from 6%, just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to curb bullion purchases for a year as overseas purchases pressure the rupee.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Renter Mandy Feng, who prefers to use a pseudonym for fear of being seen criticizing the authorities, said the stimulus the government is offering has failed to offset people’s anxiety over an uncertain economic outlook.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
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Perhaps sensing this, the league trotted out a series of onstage stimuli between picks.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
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The 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill helped launch the modern environmental movement and spurred strict state coastal protections.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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The latest trip was spurred by an underwater interview project proposed by Stanford University anthropologist Ayana Omilade Flewellen, who serves on the board of Diving With a Purpose, a Black scuba diving nonprofit dedicated to documenting slave shipwrecks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Responding to comments, asking for feedback, and giving shout-outs to active viewers fosters a sense of community and encourages continued engagement.—
Adam Rumanek,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2026
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Techniques such as reinforcement learning from human feedback encourage the model toward preferred responses.—
Sandeep Shilawat,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The solution, therefore, is to reduce stimulation to allow dopamine levels to recover.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
-
Beyond movement, the system uniquely uses sensory stimulation to reconnect Patterson with his physical self, aiming to restore the sensation of touch in his hands for the first time in 10 years.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Three people were stabbed on a Rhode Island beach Tuesday as hundreds of teenagers packed the area, forcing beachgoers to flee.—
Louis Casiano , Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
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The family's dog then came to protect the family, and Vigneau allegedly stabbed the dog twice in the mouth area, prosecutors say.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prod. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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