nudge

¹ American  

[nuhj] / nʌdʒ /

verb (used with object)

nudged, nudging

1. to push slightly or gently, especially with the elbow, to get someone's attention, prod someone into action, etc.

   Synonyms:

   jog, poke, elbow

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verb (used without object)

nudged, nudging

1. to give a nudge.

noun

1. a slight or gentle push or jog, especially with the elbow.

nudge ² American  

[nooj] / nʊdʒ /

Or noodge,

verb (used with object)

nudged, nudging

1. to annoy with persistent complaints, criticisms, or pleas; nag.

   He was always nudging his son to move to a better neighborhood.

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verb (used without object)

nudged, nudging

1. to nag, whine, or carp.

noun

1. a person who nudges; pest.

nudge British  

/ nʌdʒ /

verb

1. to push or poke (someone) gently, esp with the elbow, to get attention; jog

2. to push slowly or lightly

   as I drove out, I just nudged the gatepost

3. to give (someone) a gentle reminder or encouragement

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noun

1. a gentle poke or push

2. a gentle reminder

Usage

Where does the word nudge come from? As our definitions show above, nudge is a verb meaning "to push slightly or gently, specifically with an elbow when doing so literally, in order to get someone's attention or to prod someone along." A nudge is also a noun, meaning "a slight or gentle push or jog, especially with the elbow."But as far as we’re concerned, the origin of the word nudge could certainly stand to budge, as it's often considered obscure. However, we suspect nudge, found by 1665–75, comes from a dialectical variation of knidge or nidge, related to the Old English cnucian or cnocian, meaning "to knock." Every now and again, maybe a stubborn word origin just needs a little ... nudge. Nudge isn’t alone: it finds lots of company in other English words that seem simple but whose origins are not. Discover more in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From."

Other Word Forms

• nudger
  noun

Etymology

Origin of nudge¹

1665–75; variant of dial. ( k ) nidge, akin to Old English cnucian, cnocian to knock

Origin of nudge²

1875–80; < Yiddish, stem of nudyen to bore < Polish nudzić; cf. nudnik

Explanation

Sometimes you just need a little nudge or slight push to get your day going. It might be a coffee, or your favorite song, or your mom stripping the covers and standing over your bed. Take your pick. Some people believe the word nudge comes from the Norwegian dialect nugga meaning "to push, rub." This makes sense, since a nudge is a push of sorts. But it's more of a gentle push. Think of nudging coals around in a fire or a crowd of people nudging to the stage at a concert. When you gently annoy your husband so he'll mow the lawn, you're nudging him along.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nudge nudged nudging

Gates also said we should consider taxing AI tokens and robots, which could nudge businesses toward hiring people instead of betting on more machines.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

Yet Schoenbrun’s observations are presented in the film as though they’re opaque, overloaded with smug surrealism and jam-packed with visual stimuli designed to wink and nudge at the otherwise obvious.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

Schmidt said Instagram has introduced tools to help protect children and nudge them into more measured use.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

So while Trafford will hope his possible high-profile move will help him add to his two England caps, he has work to do to nudge Pickford aside as England's first-choice goalkeeper.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

With just the slightest nudge, taking the “Lemoncello” out of the Lemoncello Library would become his mother’s next great cause.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein

Bitcoin nudged back above $84,000, while New York gold contracts edged up by 0.1%, but held below $4,200 a troy ounce.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Brent crude contracts rose by 0.5% but held just below $100 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate contracts nudged back above $90 a barrel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

This will become more substantial by Wednesday, stretching across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and western areas of England, as high pressure is nudged a bit further east.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

U.K. fashion retailer Next PLC nudged up its guidance for the fiscal year after reporting a rise in earnings in the first half on a better-than-expected performance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

Oslak nudged him in the back, and he took a few halting steps closer to the litter.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

Rather, they are rethinking the role that digital offerings play in their operations and nudging employees to assign higher priority to customer service, not just rely on kiosk ordering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

This is an uncomplicated yarn about a man prying open his heart and nudging other hard nuts to do the same.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

With temperatures nudging 40C, there have been some comparisons to the historic heatwave of July 2022 when the UK recorded 40C for the first time.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

While opinion polls suggested the vote could be tight, the latest surveys indicated opposition to the proposal nudging ahead.

From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026

The wind skips behind me, nudging me forward down the walk and then away from the main road, toward the older homes, his neighborhood, right beside the lake.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali