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as in to urge
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
a public outcry eventually prodded the politicians into action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stimulus
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prod
Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025
The experience of reading can benefit from the rockier mental terrain that books provide; the boredom and impatience that longer texts sometimes inspire can help push and prod one’s thinking more than things that are perfectly distilled.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2025
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Zippy Ms Kimundu/Afrofilms International, prod.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prod
Verb
High glucose levels also prod the kidneys to release more of the hormone renin, which sets off a hormonal cascade critical to controlling blood pressure and maintaining healthy electrolyte levels.
—Noun
Zippy Ms Kimundu / Afrofilms International, prod.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for prod
Verb
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The actress hasn't spoken publicly about her dating life, aside from a few TikTok videos poking fun at her singleness.—
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Continue reading … POLITICS POLITICAL THEATER – Vance reposts meme poking fun at Democrats' Jan 6 candlelight vigil.—
Verb
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Crime Stoppers is urging the public not to approach the suspect, who should be considered armed and dangerous.—
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Pink and black, a similar color pairing, is one that Gage urges steering clear of in this day and age.—
Noun
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If the labor market is improving and the Supreme Court delivers the expected tariff refunds, the Fed would have almost no justification for adding further stimulus to the economy via a new round of cheaper money.—
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There’s the stimulus from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the prospect of lower interest rates from a more dovish incoming Federal Reserve chair, and the benefits from artificial intelligence accruing to the real economy — major pillars maintaining a bullish outlook .—
Verb
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An approach like the Western Apache’s is one that is increasingly important now, as climate change spurs warmer and drier conditions that make for more active wildfire seasons.—
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That’s spurred governors from the region — including Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, Illinois’ JB Pritzker and Maryland’s Wes Moore, all Democrats who are running for reelection — to pressure the grid operator PJM Interconnection to contain increases.—
Verb
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The teeth also captured climate shifts such as the Late Antique Little Ice Age and the Medieval Climate Anomaly, which might have encouraged some increase in migration into England.—
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Those who experienced the earthquake are encouraged to report it via the USGS Felt Report form.—
Noun
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That’s important because neurons remember past stimulation, and pain sensitivity depends on history.—
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Good morning, everyone, the middle of the week has arrived and this calls for a celebratory cup or two of stimulation.—
Verb
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The woman who was stabbed is in stable condition, and the man is in critical condition, the spokesperson said.—
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Early the following morning, Anaheim police officers responded to the intersection of Santa Ana and Helena streets after witnesses reported seeing two men chasing Reyes and one of them stabbing him.—
Verb
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As part of her sweetheart deal, Joseph had to agree to a state investigation — wink wink nudge nudge.—
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Far from contemporary pop, each note and lyric demands your full attention; the reward is transcendence, even as the material nudges you to annotate like a philosophy student with a highlighter in hand.—
Cite this Entry
“Prod.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prod. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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