prods 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of prod
1
as in stabs
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object kept prodding the sheep with a staff to move along faster

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in urges
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

prods

2 of 2

noun

plural of prod
as in goads

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prods
Verb
These disparate elements don’t wholly cohere, but the film still prods at ideas about maternal inheritance, feminine power, and community. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 But unless carefully designed, these groups are more often excuses for inaction than prods for durable solutions. — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 This kind of mutual caretaking, physical as well as emotional, prods larger conversations about the state of the world — particularly, Marie-Lou’s nursing home facing a perpetual funding crisis. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026 Kate says when Laurie prods her to speak her mind. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026 The film takes place over three years in Valbona, a suburban district of Barcelona, as Guerín prods at issues of displacement, identity, urban life, and ecological conflicts in this small neighborhood that serves as a microcosm of the world. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prods
  1. stabs
  2. urges
  3. goads
  4. pokes
  5. encourages
  6. stimuli
  7. spurs
  8. nudges
Verb
  • The sequence culminates in the Great Hall, where Ned kicks part of his broken cane to Colum, who stabs MacKinney in the leg.
    — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • But before Bane can finish him off, Batman stabs a Batarang into a little knob on Bane’s wrist gauntlet, the one that controls his intake of Venom.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of stabs
Verb
  • Vision is ready to hare off after Thomas at that point, but Jarvis urges him to control his emotions.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Brem urges you to advocate for yourself at the doctor's office.
    — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of urges
Noun
  • To Robin Wright’s multimillionaire gallery owner Laura, her son’s new girlfriend is a sleazy opportunist, a gold digger who lies about her academic and professional credentials and goads Laura by going down on Daniel (Laurie Davidson) in Laura’s house with the door open.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of goads
Verb
  • And yet there’s this piece in the policy which pokes its head [and forces them to find a surrogate in Texas].
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The International Kazoo Championship pokes a little fun at the rigidity of the main stage.
    — David Alm, Longreads, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pokes
Verb
  • Applied to a solo outing, that approach encourages diners to appreciate the meal in front of them instead of scrolling through their phones.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Jordan says a recent guideline change encourages doctors to diagnose and treat sooner based on symptoms.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of encourages
Noun
  • Researchers have studied how certain facial and auricular stimuli interact with parasympathetic activity.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers have also explored how certain facial and auricular stimuli may interact with parasympathetic activity.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stimuli
Verb
  • Supporters point to consistent growth in America’s technology sector as proof that employing foreign skilled workers spurs overall productivity, and is a net benefit to the American economy.
    — Laina Gustafson, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The climate pattern typically emerges every two to seven years and is marked by the heating of ocean waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, which spurs changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of spurs
Verb
  • Over many rounds, training nudges the student’s internal settings, called weights, so that its answers more closely match the teacher’s.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Yannick Nézet-Séguin nudges the orchestra’s warmth and saturation into territory that, if not quite gaudy, is certainly gala-worthy, privileging vibrancy over darkness.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of nudges

Browse Nearby Words

prodigy
prods
produce
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prods.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prods. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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