prodding

American  

[prod-ing] / ˈprɒd ɪŋ /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

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adjective

1. 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.

Etymology

Origin of prodding

First recorded in 1840–45; prod + -ing ¹ for the noun senses; prod + -ing ² for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

In scenes strikingly reminiscent of Covid-era lockdowns, the LPG supply hit seems to be prodding a return of some migrant workers from big cities such as Mumbai.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Its activist investing honcho, James Chadwick, once told a podcast his fund often gets involved at the prodding of a former insider or other person knowledgeable about a particular target company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

Showrunner Jess Brownell says this season, they were is interested in prodding the wish-fulfillment fantasy many of us were introduced to at a young age.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026

Joe Rogan mocked Donald Trump during an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” prodding the president for switching up his story around the Epstein files.

From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025

He looked us over, prodding my shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover’s jeans.

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• goad
• motivate
• prompt
• propel
• provoke
• remind
• spur
• stimulate