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
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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
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Recent Examples of prods
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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
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
This kind of mutual caretaking, physical as well as emotional, prods larger conversations about the state of the world — particularly, Marie-Lou’s nursing home facing a perpetual funding crisis.
—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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
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
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Kara talks her out of it, and when Ruthye walks away, Kara turns back to Krem and stabs him multiple times with a sword.
-
On cue, a Frey leaps out and stabs Robb’s pregnant wife Talisa (Oona Chaplin) in the stomach, and a volley of crossbow arrows lay into Robb and his friends.
Verb
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The designer also urges homeowners to consider flourishes such as tassels, pom-poms, and ribbons to put this vibrant shade to work in the subtlest ways.
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The National Weather Service urges those in Guam to begin preparing their homes, listen for possible warnings and be ready to evacuate if necessary.
Noun
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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.
Verb
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The second is a vent which pokes out above your clothes, to move warm air away from you.
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Perched on a finger of land that pokes into Lebanon, Metula is usually crowded with tourists this time of year.
Verb
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Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.
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Kalibrate’s program, according to the lawsuit, encourages gas stations to upload private price data.
Noun
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By integrating smart shades into the components of major smart home ecosystems (those supporting Matter, Thread, Zigbee, or Z-Wave specifically), these systems can react to real-time stimuli.
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When your dopamine levels, the chemical baseline responsible for motivation and pursuit, are naturally low, your brain searches for quick stimuli to wake itself up.
Verb
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Supporters say the law expands options for families and spurs school improvement all around — especially in districts with subpar schools.
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But the immune system has sensed that something is wrong, and spurs a more brute force reaction.
Verb
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An intuitive Moon crosses your 10th House of Career while Saturn, planet of lessons, rests in your 5th House of Creativity, and their quincunx nudges you to refine spotlight plans with care.
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Syntiant’s tech nudges the new takes back toward the tone and feeling of the 1983 master while keeping every note authentically Boy George.
Cite this Entry
“Prods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prods. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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