nudged; nudging
1
: to touch or push gently
… nudged the cue ball with the tip of the cue.—
Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux
especially
: to seek the attention of by a push of the elbow
… nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy … —J. K. Rowling
J. K. Rowling 2
: to prod lightly : urge into action
… have been nudged into starting their own ventures …—Janet Bamford
Janet Bamford3
: approach
its circulation is nudging the four million mark—Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf
: to give a nudge
She nudged and jostled through the crowd.
nudge
noun
nudger
noun
Examples of nudge in a Sentence
I nudged the plate closer to him.
The guard nudged the prisoner forward.
The dog nudged the ball with his nose.
He nudged me and pointed to the deer.
The salesman nudged her into testing out the car.
Album sales are nudging the one million mark.
The price of gold has nudged a little higher.
Recent Examples on the Web
Both use tech that can help create and translate listings, as well as assist with search to help nudge consumer behavior.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 June 2025
The suburban SoCal Wilsons — brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl — were encouraged to write and sing by their father, Murry, who put his own musical ambitions on hold when the children arrived but nudged them imposingly into the industry instead.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 June 2025
All molecules need is a slight nudge to send them spinning out of the atmosphere, and the energy to give them that nudge comes from the sun.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 12 June 2025
And yes, all of this maneuvering might nudge the dollar-renminbi exchange rate in a direction adverse to Chinese exporters.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nudge
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Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 June 2025
The suburban SoCal Wilsons — brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl — were encouraged to write and sing by their father, Murry, who put his own musical ambitions on hold when the children arrived but nudged them imposingly into the industry instead.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 June 2025
All molecules need is a slight nudge to send them spinning out of the atmosphere, and the energy to give them that nudge comes from the sun.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 12 June 2025
And yes, all of this maneuvering might nudge the dollar-renminbi exchange rate in a direction adverse to Chinese exporters.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nudge. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nudge
verb
nudged; nudging
: to touch or push gently
especially
: to attract the attention of by a push of the elbow
nudge
noun
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