urge

[ urj ]

verb (used with object)

, urged, urg·ing.

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.

verb (used without object)

, urged, urg·ing.

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

/ 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

noun

1. a strong impulse, inner drive, or yearning

Other Words From

• urging·ly adverb
• over·urge verb overurged overurging
• un·urged adjective
• un·urging adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of urge¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of urge¹

C16: from Latin urgēre

Example Sentences

She urged the city to keep its faith-based proposal as originally proposed, because doing so would create “more opportunities for congregations to build housing, especially in high-resource communities.”

From Los Angeles Times

After Gaetz resigned from Congress last week, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., urged the panel to shelve the report.

From Salon

Some have urged the government to be more radical on Help to Buy with Manchester mayor Andy Burnham calling for it to be "suspended" while others have called for it to be scrapped entirely.

From BBC

Commuters have been urged to check with bus operators on how their services have been affected.

From BBC

Now they just need to fight the urge to turn everything upside down with a shiny new toy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appetite
• compulsion
• craving
• impulse
• itch
• longing
• lust
• passion
• weakness
• yearning