1 B2 neutral
To move just slightly in front of a competitor or rival, especially in a race or contest.
"The runner nudged ahead of the Kenyan athlete in the final 200 metres."
nudge ahead
B2 neutral intransitive
To move or progress slightly in front of others, often by a small margin.
In plain English
To get just a little bit ahead of someone else.
What does "nudge ahead" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
To progress marginally beyond a previous position or rival in business, polls, or statistics.
"The party nudged ahead in the latest opinion polls, with a lead of just two percentage points."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To push (nudge) forward slightly ahead of where you were.
Actually means
To get just a little bit ahead of someone else.
Usage tip
Common in sports commentary, business, and economic reporting. Suggests the lead or progress is narrow and could easily be reversed.
Words that pair with "nudge ahead"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
polls rivals competition race market
How to conjugate "nudge ahead"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
nudge ahead
I/you/we/they
3rd person
nudges ahead
he/she/it
Past simple
nudged ahead
yesterday
Past participle
nudged ahead
have + pp
-ing form
nudging ahead
continuous
Hear "nudge ahead" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "nudge ahead" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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