as in to encourage
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in desire
a strong wish for something
I'm trying to resist the urge to eat another piece of cake
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of urge
Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In its policy recommendation section, ScreenSkills called for a shake-up of the high-end TV tax credit regime, which many in the industry have been urging for months.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 Apr. 2026
The Elden Ring sets are looking very real in a way that summons an overpowering urge to replay a game that takes 400 hours to get through.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for urge
Verb
Art Scotland, a member of the zoo’s board of trustees who has lived much of his life in the neighborhood of Land Park, also urged approval of the MOU.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026
In its policy recommendation section, ScreenSkills called for a shake-up of the high-end TV tax credit regime, which many in the industry have been urging for months.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
And just as celebrity hairstylist SherriAnn Cole recently advised in Vogue, Clarke resisted the common urge to match her brows to her new blonde hair.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 25 Apr. 2026
The Elden Ring sets are looking very real in a way that summons an overpowering urge to replay a game that takes 400 hours to get through.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for urge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for urge
Verb
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Meanwhile, today Uranus enters a part of your chart to stay for six years, encouraging impulsive vacations, surprising romance and unexpected children.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
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The authors stress the need for a robust public domain for information and for IP to be fairly applied alongside the public domain in order to encourage economic growth and innovation.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Part of it was a desire to stick things out with his teammates.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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The team wanted to keep Phillips and even engaged in conversations with Trey Hendrickson, showing the desire for a high-level edge rusher to join Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith in the top three.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Zero-calorie sweeteners may help in specific cases but can reinforce cravings for sweet foods.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
25 Apr. 2026
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Director Gay has sculpted a staging that is faithful to a more leisurely 19th-century storytelling style, yet satisfies modern audiences’ constant craving for stimulation.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Over pinwheeling synths, Mahesh inhabits her narrator’s misplaced longing with gooey, heart-eyed delusion and sweetly pathetic determination.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
24 Apr. 2026
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As Carolyn, Emma Ramos is particularly expressive, drawing quietly on deep reserves of pain and longing.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There was nothing left for anyone to drink at Soft Bar after Sabrina arrived because her insatiable thirst sucked up all the moisture within a ten-block radius.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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That standard is based on the Five Freedoms of animal welfare developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, which include freedom from hunger and thirst; from discomfort; from pain, from injury or disease, from fear and distress; and freedom to express normal behavior.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That standard is based on the Five Freedoms of animal welfare developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, which include freedom from hunger and thirst; from discomfort; from pain, from injury or disease, from fear and distress; and freedom to express normal behavior.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
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After the Ground Zero event, the monarch, who prides himself on his environmental advocacy, will head uptown for a meeting in Harlem with a group that promotes urban farming programs for children and young people affected by hunger and food insecurity.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Urge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/urge. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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