nudge

¹

[nuhj]

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

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

Or noodge,

[nooj]

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.

verb (used without object)

nudged, nudging 

1. to nag, whine, or carp.

noun

1. a person who nudges; pest.

nudge

/ 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

noun

1. a gentle poke or push

2. a gentle reminder

Other Word Forms

• nudger noun

Word History and Origins

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; nudnik

Word History and Origins

Origin of nudge¹

C17: perhaps from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic nugga to push

Example Sentences

Higher costs of living over the past few years have squeezed consumers, and signs have emerged that tariffs have begun to nudge prices for some items higher.

Read more on MarketWatch

When the metal is deformed, dislocations twist and shift, nudging nearby atoms into preferred positions.

Read more on Science Daily

After years of nudging menu prices higher, fast-food chains and other restaurants have tried to win over customers with bigger value deals.

Read more on MarketWatch

The Italian luxury sports-car maker nudged its full-year financial expectations higher at an investor event in Italy while setting new financial targets for the end of the decade.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Then Rwanda winks and—ha!—it goes up just a nudge more.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When To Use

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."