nod

1 of 2

verb

nodded; nodding

intransitive verb

1
: to make a quick downward motion of the head whether deliberately (as in expressing assent or salutation) or involuntarily (as from drowsiness)
She nodded in agreement.
The guard nodded to us as we walked in.
He sat nodding by the fire.
2
: to incline or sway from the vertical as though ready to fall
signposts nodding in the wind
3
: to bend or sway the upper part gently downward or forward : bob gently
the plumes that nodded on his helmet
nodding flowers on long stems
4
: to make a slip or error in a moment of abstraction
… Fuentes nods, and his language then falls into … an overly learned mumbo-jumbo that stops the drama of his action.Robert Maurer

transitive verb

1
: to incline downward or forward
nodded his head in agreement
2
: to bring, invite, or send by a nod
nodded us in
3
: to signify by a nod
nodded their approval
nodder noun

nod

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act or an instance of nodding
gave a nod of greeting
2
: an indication especially of approval or recognition

Examples of nod in a Sentence

Verb She nodded when I asked her if she was ready. I asked her if she could hear me, and she nodded her head. “The bathroom is around the corner,” he said, nodding to the left. She nodded toward the dirty dishes and said she would get to them later.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Some of his bandmates waiting outside the room nod along. Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 The courtroom drama won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and — in addition to her Best Director nod — gave Triet a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Hooper also received Worst Screenplay alongside co-writer Lee Hall, who earned an Oscar nod himself for Billy Elliot in 2001. 25 of 26 Jared Leto Jared Leto won an Oscar in 2014 for his supporting role as Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. Ew Staff, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 All these aspects nod to the Moonwatch’s storied history. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024 Robert De Niro snagged a supporting actor nod and Gladstone made history as the first Native American up for best actress. USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024 Some in the audience nodded along and took notes during the president’s speech. Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Drinks nod to this (the menu boasts things like ‘Clint Westward’ and ‘Hateful Eight’) as do ingredients, from American whiskeys to more island flavors. Kate Dingwall, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The Oscar winner — who scored yet another Academy Awards nod in the Best Actress category for her role as Bella Baxter in the film — took part in a panel at Saturday's Celebration of the Nominees for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024
Noun
The show is a nod to a young Keys growing up in Manhattan. Celeste Polanco, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024 His nod for the box-office hit marks his third at the Academy Awards, with the last coming in 2016 for the musical La La Land. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The decision to bring back the ‘Fab Five’ concept — in which five previous winners paid tribute to this year’s five nominees in the acting categories — was a nod to a similar idea in 2009. Michael Schneider, Variety, 11 Mar. 2024 His co-star America Ferrera is the only other member of the cast to receive an Oscar nomination (much to the chagrin of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig fans), however the whole production got a best picture nod, which is quite the feat for a film about a children's toy. Sam Reed, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2024 His most nominations came in 2014 for The Grand Budapest Hotel, with Anderson getting nods for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2024 Throughout Barbie's global tour, Robbie turned up to red carpet after red carpet in a shade of pink or a clever nod to a vintage Barbie ensemble. Jamila Stewart, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2024 In a nod to the film Hathaway wore a Cerulean blue Versace Gown with Bulgari High Jewelry Serpenti necklace in white gold with one pear diamond and buff-top emeralds. Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 For the big day, Lady Gabriella wore a lace bridal gown by Luisa Beccaria and accessorized with a Russian fringe style tiara in a nod to family tradition as both her mother and grandmother wore the same one on their special days. Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nod.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English nodden; perhaps akin to Old High German hnotōn to shake

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nod was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near nod

Cite this Entry

“Nod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nod. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nod

1 of 2 verb
nodded; nodding
1
: to bend the head downward or forward (as in bowing or going to sleep or as a way of answering "yes")
2
: to move up and down
the tulips nodded in the breeze
3
: to show by a nod of the head
nod agreement
4
: to let one's attention roam for a moment and make an error
nodder noun

nod

2 of 2 noun
: the action of nodding

More from Merriam-Webster on nod

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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