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

During that same hearing, at the prodding of one senator, Zuckerberg apologised to victims and their loved ones who had crowded into the chamber.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

He departed after prodding at a moving delivery from Scott Boland that took a faint edge and was collected easily by Carey as England fell to 57-3.

From Barron's • Jan. 4, 2026

There’s no on-camera host prodding the homicide victim’s mother to cry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

The next day, after more prodding by Amelia’s father, police received permission to search some parts of the house but found no sign of her.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

Since the moment school let out, they had been wheedling and prodding for stories about their mother.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

Related Words

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