as in encourages
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the public service announcement urges pet owners to spay or neuter their pets
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Recent Examples of urges
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
Hasselbeck, who has a family history of cardiovascular disease, urges families and fans to get screened.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Hospital urges burn safety awareness Santiago is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.
—CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
The petition, with nearly 2,200 signatures, urges better care, more expert oversight and cleaner conditions for the birds.
—Hal Boedeker, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
All TEXpress lanes have been closed due to the inclement weather and the Texas Department of Transportation urges residents to stay off the roads as much as possible over the weekend.
—Star-Telegram Staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2026
In the case of a major snowstorm, such as one this weekend projected to be the biggest Maryland has seen in a decade, AAA urges people to stay home and avoid the road unless absolutely necessary.
—Luke Parker, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
Spiritual Neptune urges us to take action to change our lives by any means possible.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 23 Jan. 2026
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
Hasselbeck, who has a family history of cardiovascular disease, urges families and fans to get screened.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Hospital urges burn safety awareness Santiago is expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.
—CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
The petition, with nearly 2,200 signatures, urges better care, more expert oversight and cleaner conditions for the birds.
—Hal Boedeker, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
All TEXpress lanes have been closed due to the inclement weather and the Texas Department of Transportation urges residents to stay off the roads as much as possible over the weekend.
—Star-Telegram Staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2026
In the case of a major snowstorm, such as one this weekend projected to be the biggest Maryland has seen in a decade, AAA urges people to stay home and avoid the road unless absolutely necessary.
—Luke Parker, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
Spiritual Neptune urges us to take action to change our lives by any means possible.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for urges
encourages
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Urges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/urges. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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