nudge

/nʌdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /nʌdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnəj/ (ame, mw)

nudge — verb

1. to give someone a small, light push, often with your elbow, so that they notice

1.動詞及物B1
釋義

to give someone a small, light push, often with your elbow, so that they notice you or move in a certain direction.

例句

Rodrigo nudged his sister and pointed at the rainbow outside the window.

nudge + somebody to draw attention

The cat nudged the bowl with its nose, hoping for more food.

nudge + something with [body part]

同義詞
  • poke

    usually done with a finger or pointed object, more precise and quick

  • elbow

    specifically uses the elbow, often sharper

  • tap

    a quick light touch, typically with a finger, not a body part

反義詞

文法句型

nudge + somebody

nudge + something

nudge + somebody + with + body part

用法筆記

Commonly used with body parts such as elbow, foot, or nose. The action is always light or gentle — a hard push is not a nudge.

常見錯誤

❌She nudged me hard to get my attention.
✅She nudged me gently to get my attention.
💡a nudge is always light; use 'shove' or 'push' for a stronger motion.
❌He nudged the heavy box across the room.
✅He pushed the heavy box across the room.
💡nudge describes a small movement, not moving a heavy object over a distance.

2. to move slowly toward a higher level, number, or position, or to cause something

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to move slowly toward a higher level, number, or position, or to cause something to move that way.

例句

Gabriel watched his portfolio nudge above 50 thousand dollars in March and grinned.

nudge above [level] — used in finance

Temperatures nudged toward 40 degrees during the July heatwave, and Jin read under a giant banyan tree most afternoons.

同義詞
  • edge up

    suggests very small increments, common in finance

  • inch up

    even slower and more gradual than nudge

  • creep

    steady, slow movement, often imperceptible

反義詞

文法句型

nudge + adverb of direction (higher, upward, past)

nudge + preposition (above, toward, past) + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently appears in financial and statistical contexts (prices, rates, temperatures, percentages). The intransitive form (prices nudged higher) is more common than the transitive.

常見錯誤

❌Sales nudged to a record high last month.
✅Sales crept up to a record high last month.
💡'nudge' implies a small, gradual movement; 'creep' or 'edge' may be more natural for steady upward movement.

3. to gently steer someone toward a decision or action by giving subtle suggestions

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to gently steer someone toward a decision or action by giving subtle suggestions rather than by applying direct pressure.

例句

The teacher nudged Reuben to join the science club by praising his curiosity.

nudge [person] + to-infinitive

Anjali's parents gently nudged her toward applying to medical school.

nudge [person] + toward + noun phrase

同義詞
  • coax

    uses praise, flattery, or promises to persuade

  • prompt

    focuses on reminding or suggesting, often with a verbal cue

  • prod

    more insistent or repeated, sometimes slightly annoying

反義詞

文法句型

nudge + somebody + to-infinitive

nudge + somebody + into + noun/gerund

nudge + somebody + toward + noun

用法筆記

Very common in behavioural economics and public policy ('nudge theory'), where the subject is often an institution, system, or policy rather than an individual person. The persuasion is always gentle — if there is pressure or strong influence, use 'push', 'urge', or 'pressure' instead.

常見錯誤

❌The boss nudged me to work overtime against my will.
✅The boss pressured me to work overtime against my will.
💡nudge implies gentle encouragement; when there is resistance or force, use a stronger verb.
❌She nudged him into buying a car he could not afford.
✅She talked him into buying a car he could not afford.
💡'nudge' implies a positive or neutral intention; 'talk into' works for persuasion with negative outcomes.

nudge — noun