urge

American  

[urj] / ɜrdʒ /

verb (used with object)

urged, urging

1. to push or force along; impel with force or vigor.

   to urge the cause along.

   Antonyms:

   deter

2. to drive with incitement to speed or effort.

   to urge dogs on with shouts.

   Antonyms:

   deter

3. to press, push, or hasten (the course, activities, etc.).

   to urge one's escape.

   Antonyms:

   deter

4. to impel, constrain, or move to some action.

   urged by necessity.

   Synonyms:

   spur, stimulate, goad, incite

   Antonyms:

   discourage

5. to endeavor to induce or persuade, as by entreaties; entreat or exhort earnestly.

   to urge a person to greater caution.

   Antonyms:

   discourage

6. to press (something) upon the attention.

   to urge a claim.

7. to insist on, allege, or assert with earnestness.

   to urge the need of haste.

   Synonyms:

   asseverate, aver

8. to press by persuasion or recommendation, as for acceptance, performance, or use; recommend or advocate earnestly.

   to urge a plan of action.

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verb (used without object)

urged, urging

1. to exert a driving or impelling force; give an impulse to haste or action.

   Hunger urges.

2. to make entreaties or earnest recommendations.

3. to press arguments or allegations, as against a person, action, or cause.

   The senator urged against the confirmation of the appointment.

noun

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

2. an involuntary, natural, or instinctive impulse.

   the sex urge.

urge British  

/ ɜːdʒ /

verb

1. (tr) to plead, press, or move (someone to do something)

   we urged him to surrender

2. (tr; may take a clause as object) to advocate or recommend earnestly and persistently; plead or insist on

   to urge the need for safety

3. (tr) to impel, drive, or hasten onwards

   he urged the horses on

4. archaic (tr) to stimulate, excite, or incite

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noun

1. a strong impulse, inner drive, or yearning

Other Word Forms

• overurge verb
• unurged adjective
• unurging adjective
• urgingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of urge

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

Explanation

If you have an urge to eat candy, you really want to eat those sweets. Your mother might urge you to wait until after dinner. As a noun, urge means a desire. As a verb, it means to strongly encourage. Urge is related to the word, urgent, or 'pressing.' An urge is a pressing want, one that is almost a compulsion, like when you're so frustrated, you have the urge to scream. If you urge someone to do something, you feel strongly about it. You might urge a friend to wear an orange shirt not because you happen to like orange, but because they're walking in the woods during hunting season.

Example Sentences

I urge everyone to wear your politics lightly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

In other words, the urge to order a plate of buttered noodles or a perfectly crisp chicken nugget isn’t childish.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

Detectives are continuing to urge anyone with information or dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

By 2011, his financial situation was far more dire, prompting his new accountant to urge him to sell his expansive mansion as quickly as possible to avoid impending bankruptcy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Michael Burry had to resist his urge to take offense.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• advise
• advocate
• appeal to
• ask
• commend
• compel
• endorse
• exhort
• favor
• force
• implore
• press
• promote
• prompt
• propose
• push
• recommend
• request
• support