1
as in stabs
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object
kept prodding the sheep with a staff to move along faster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in urges
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
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 prods
Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
The two do some earnest bonding over being child actors and their mutual love of John Cassavettes and A Woman Under the Influence, but some of the most delightful bits between them occur when Lawrence prods him into laughter.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
An experience like this prods a lot of reflection.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
The film takes place over three years in Valbona, a suburban district of Barcelona, as Guerín prods at issues of displacement, identity, urban life, and ecological conflicts in this small neighborhood that serves as a microcosm of the world.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Kate says when Laurie prods her to speak her mind.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
The two do some earnest bonding over being child actors and their mutual love of John Cassavettes and A Woman Under the Influence, but some of the most delightful bits between them occur when Lawrence prods him into laughter.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
An experience like this prods a lot of reflection.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025
The film takes place over three years in Valbona, a suburban district of Barcelona, as Guerín prods at issues of displacement, identity, urban life, and ecological conflicts in this small neighborhood that serves as a microcosm of the world.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prods
Verb
-
Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Milo tries to be a hero, trying to use pepper spray on Morgan, but Morgan stabs and kills him.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Oz urges vaccinations amid measles outbreaks Health officials in Washington are warning people who attended the March For Life last month that they may have been exposed to measles, a highly contagious but easily preventable illness.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The letter urges Nurrenbern to continue to oppose Hall’s nomination.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To Robin Wright’s multimillionaire gallery owner Laura, her son’s new girlfriend is a sleazy opportunist, a gold digger who lies about her academic and professional credentials and goads Laura by going down on Daniel (Laurie Davidson) in Laura’s house with the door open.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Other companies have incorporated AI into their Super Bowl commercials to a lesser extent, according to the outlet, and AI companies will return as well — a commercial from Anthropic pokes fun at ChatGPT incorporating ads.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Partnerships deserve thoughtfulness as romantic Venus pokes jolly Jupiter, activating your 7th House of Connections and your 12th House of Karma.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The evening was more about the vibe; Gelman encourages all guests to dress up in fancy cocktail attire.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Perhaps that’s because, unlike other reality dating TV shows like The Bachelor and Love Island, the series encourages frank conversations about politics and social issues that mirror dating in the modern age.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This suggests the presence of an internal, self-evolving latent variable—independent of external stimuli—that shapes the timing structure of motivation and decision-making.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Emotional numbing symptoms, in particular, are known to intensify this pattern of reacting sharply to negative stimuli and then shutting down emotionally.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The bank's president and chairman, John Jovanovic, told CNBC that manufacturers, which benefit the most from the reserve, are making a long-term financial commitment, while the government loan spurs private investments.—
DIDI TANG,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Manufacturers, which benefit the most from the reserve, are making a long-term financial commitment, Jovanovic said, while the government loan spurs private investments.—
Didi Tang,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Each change nudges users toward subscriptions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The stratospheric warming has weakened the high-altitude vortex slightly, which nudges the polar jet stream and allows some Arctic air to escape.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Freep.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prods. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
