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
Another excavator arrived, working from a temporary construction road that stretched into the water, and nudged its bucket against the whale in an effort to jostle the animal free.
—Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
Emily tried to nudge her daughter closer, but Henley pivoted and ducked behind her legs.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
The Dodgers’ social media team nudged Smith out of that public shell a bit this spring, in a spot promoting his bobblehead night, in which Smith nailed a deadpan delivery and a range of facial gestures.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Prices in the Inland Empire were nudging closer to $6 on Thursday.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
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Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
Emily tried to nudge her daughter closer, but Henley pivoted and ducked behind her legs.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
The Dodgers’ social media team nudged Smith out of that public shell a bit this spring, in a spot promoting his bobblehead night, in which Smith nailed a deadpan delivery and a range of facial gestures.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Prices in the Inland Empire were nudging closer to $6 on Thursday.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nudge
Cite this Entry
“Nudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nudge. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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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