To budge means to move even slightly, especially when something is stuck or resisting. When you try to open a jar with a tight lid and it won't budge, it won't move at all no matter how hard you twist. When heavy furniture won't budge, it stays firmly in place.

The word often appears in negative situations: “The boulder wouldn't budge an inch” or “I pushed against the door, but it didn't budge.” This emphasizes how stuck or stubborn something is.

People use budge for stubbornness too. When someone refuses to budge on a decision, they won't change their mind or compromise. If your friend won't budge from their opinion during a debate, they're standing firm in what they believe. A parent might say they won't budge on a rule about bedtime, meaning no amount of pleading will change it.

The word suggests resistance and firmness. Something that budges easily wasn't really stuck; something that won't budge is truly immovable, whether that's a physical object or someone's determination.