1 B2 neutral
To defeat a competitor by a very small margin.
"She nudged out her nearest rival by just three votes to win the student election."
separable
nudge out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To displace or defeat someone or something by a small margin or gradually.
In plain English
To slowly or gently push someone out of a position or first place.
What does "nudge out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
To gradually displace something from a position, market, or role.
"Streaming services have slowly nudged out physical DVD sales over the past decade."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To nudge (gently push) something so it moves out.
Actually means
To slowly or gently push someone out of a position or first place.
Usage tip
Used in sports, politics, and business to describe narrow victories or gradual displacement. The gentleness implied by 'nudge' distinguishes it from more forceful synonyms.
Words that pair with "nudge out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
rival competitor incumbent leader top spot first place
How to conjugate "nudge out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
nudge out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
nudges out
he/she/it
Past simple
nudged out
yesterday
Past participle
nudged out
have + pp
-ing form
nudging out
continuous
Hear "nudge out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "nudge out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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