prodding

[ prod-ing ]

/ ˈprɒd ɪŋ /

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See synonyms for prodding on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of poking or jabbing with or as if with something pointed: Finally, after five minutes and some prodding with a stick, the cow moved out of the road.

the act of trying to incite someone to action, as if by poking; nagging or urging: The National Research Council finally succeeded in its assigned mission—albeit with some prodding from a public interest group and the courts.

adjective

poking, urging, or nagging: It wasn’t until two days later, under the prodding questions of close relatives, that she revealed the true source of the ring.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of prodding

prod + -ing¹ for the noun senses; prod + -ing² for the adjective sense

Words nearby prodding

procuress, Procyon, Procyonidae, prod, prodd, prodding, Prodi, prodigal, prodigality, prodigal son, prodigious

How to use prodding in a sentence

But, as the people of Irving are now discovering, all of this poking and prodding is not without potential consequences.
26 Earthquakes Later, Fracking’s Smoking Gun Is in Texas|James Joiner|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yeonmi remembers one of the officials prodding her stomach with a gun.
How ‘Titanic ’Helped This Brave Young Woman Escape North Korea’s Totalitarian State|Lizzie Crocker|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I have chosen a ‘middle-ground’ method of moderation, a sort of behind-the-scenes prodding,” he wrote in a posting.
You Can Look It Up: The Wikipedia Story|Walter Isaacson|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Casablancas speaks in a drowsy mumble and occasionally needs prodding, but once you do, becomes surprisingly engaged.
Julian Casablancas Enters the Void: On the Strokes’ Friction, Why He Left NYC, and Starting Over|Marlow Stern|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Marianne Stewart of Cedar Falls needed repeated prodding to recall that she had caucused for Santorum.
Rick Santorum Is Kinda Coming Back for 2016|Ben Jacobs|August 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the brightening dawn Richard saw the pursuer prodding with a cimeter-point to add to the spur sting.
God Wills It!|William Stearns Davis
Something had come right down into his hole and was prodding him.
The Tale of Chirpy Cricket|Arthur Scott Bailey
He saw the fields and heard the sharp cries of the coaches prodding on the players.
The Varmint|Owen Johnson
Noticing Tharn was awake, the man lowered the spear point with which he had been prodding the captive.
Warrior of the Dawn|Howard Carleton Browne
He held it away from Mayo's eager reach and investigated still more with prodding fingers.
Blow The Man Down|Holman Day

prodding

Origin of prodding

Words nearby prodding

Words related to prodding

How to use prodding in a sentence