urge

[ urj ]

/ ɜrdʒ /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: urge / urged / urges / urging on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), urged, urg·ing.

to push or force along; impel with force or vigor: to urge the cause along.

to drive with incitement to speed or effort: to urge dogs on with shouts.

to press, push, or hasten (the course, activities, etc.): to urge one's escape.

to impel, constrain, or move to some action: urged by necessity.

to endeavor to induce or persuade, as by entreaties; entreat or exhort earnestly: to urge a person to greater caution.

to press (something) upon the attention: to urge a claim.

to insist on, allege, or assert with earnestness: to urge the need of haste.

to press by persuasion or recommendation, as for acceptance, performance, or use; recommend or advocate earnestly: to urge a plan of action.

verb (used without object), urged, urg·ing.

to exert a driving or impelling force; give an impulse to haste or action: Hunger urges.

to make entreaties or earnest recommendations.

to press arguments or allegations, as against a person, action, or cause: The senator urged against the confirmation of the appointment.

noun

an act of urging; impelling action, influence, or force; impulse.

an involuntary, natural, or instinctive impulse: the sex urge.

OTHER WORDS FOR urge

4 incite, goad, stimulate, spur.

7 aver, asseverate.

See synonyms for urge on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR urge

1-3 deter.

4, 5 discourage.

See antonyms for urge on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

false

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of urge

First recorded in 1550–60, urge is from the Latin word urgēre to press, force, drive, urge

OTHER WORDS FROM urge

urg·ing·ly, adverbo·ver·urge, verb, o·ver·urged, o·ver·urg·ing.un·urged, adjectiveun·urg·ing, adjective

Words nearby urge

Urewe, Urey, Urfa, Urfé, Urga, urge, urge incontinence, Urgel, urgency, urgency incontinence, urgent

How to use urge in a sentence

The team reasoned this urge might stem from natural instincts to hunt, or from a need for cats to supplement their diet.
Meatier meals and more playtime might reduce cats’ toll on wildlife|Jonathan Lambert|February 11, 2021|Science News
For so long, I thought, “I want a seat at the table,” but now I have this urge to knock over the table.
This Revolutionary Chef Wants to Topple the Table|Shaan Merchant|January 30, 2021|Ozy
The downside is you won’t be able to look at an untended tree again without seeing a wayward branch and feeling the urge to fix it.
It’s tree-pruning season. Here’s how to do it without resorting to ‘crape murder.’|Adrian Higgins|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
You have to control the urge to panic and maintain some sense of inner peace.
How to survive three days in the wild|By Keith McCafferty/Field & Stream|January 26, 2021|Popular-Science

He felt an urge to return to the District for the first time after watching the inauguration on television Wednesday night.
The fortress around downtown D.C. is being dismantled. But heightened security may remain.|Emily Davies, Michael Brice-Saddler, Peter Hermann|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
I need to resist my urge to talk them into my truth, just so I can feel more comfortable and secure.
In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion|Gene Robinson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
For instance, how do you balance honesty with any protective urge?
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And not that anyone would know I have a self-protective urge, but I do have one.
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the other hand, I have an equally strong urge to tell secrets.
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But not even the threat of death can suppress the urge to live vicariously through Jack Dawson and James Bond.
North Korea’s Secret Movie Bootleggers: How Western Films Make It Into the Hermit Kingdom|Lizzie Crocker|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And I have given this tedious detail to urge and embolden others to remonstrate against it.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
In excusing the Freedom of your Satyr, you urge that it galls no body, because nobody minds it enough to be mended by it.
A Letter from Mr. Cibber to Mr. Pope|Colley Cibber
But this is quite enough to justify the inconsiderable expense which the experiment I urge would involve.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
The judicious father saw that it would be utterly unavailing to urge the suit, and the matter was dropped.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
At first the girl declined to follow advice which instinctively she distrusted, and Sir Lucien was too clever to urge it upon her.
Dope|Sax Rohmer

British Dictionary definitions for urge

urge

/ (ɜːdʒ) /

verb

(tr) to plead, press, or move (someone to do something)we urged him to surrender

(tr; may take a clause as object) to advocate or recommend earnestly and persistently; plead or insist onto urge the need for safety

(tr) to impel, drive, or hasten onwardshe urged the horses on

(tr) archaic, or literary to stimulate, excite, or incite

noun

a strong impulse, inner drive, or yearning

Word Origin for urge

C16: from Latin urgēre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

urge

OTHER WORDS FOR urge

OPPOSITES FOR urge

Origin of urge

OTHER WORDS FROM urge

Words nearby urge

Words related to urge

How to use urge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for urge

Word Origin for urge