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goad

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun goad contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of goad are impulse, incentive, inducement, motive, and spur. While all these words mean "a stimulus to action," goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

In what contexts can impulse take the place of goad?

The synonyms impulse and goad are sometimes interchangeable, but impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

When can incentive be used instead of goad?

While the synonyms incentive and goad are close in meaning, incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

When is it sensible to use inducement instead of goad?

While in some cases nearly identical to goad, inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

Where would motive be a reasonable alternative to goad?

The words motive and goad can be used in similar contexts, but motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

When might spur be a better fit than goad?

The meanings of spur and goad largely overlap; however, spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of goad
Noun
The capacity to get mad, to rise to provocation, and to strike out against insult is not just a good thing but a goad to growth. Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 3 June 2025 As Phillips, Seth K Hale is impresario, goad and narrator — and for good measure, often contributes harmony vocals. Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
In the course of the conversation, his old friend goaded him into trying his hand at womenswear. Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025 Maybe the Prime executives goad him into promoting their popular romance series. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for goad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goad
Noun
  • Washington can stomach Sarr’s undisciplined shot diet because the team, still early in its rebuild, has little incentive to win right now.
    Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Finance is full of bad incentives and outright exploitation.
    Big Think, Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Rachel Goldberg-Polin emerged as a moral voice, urging an end to the war and healing for Israel's internal divisions.
    Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Lisi urged people to remain vigilant.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Whether that will result in a new round of talks with stakeholders — studios, agencies, guilds, estates and more — or spur a round of lawsuits like the legal salvos lobbed by Disney, Universal and Warner Bros.
    Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2025
  • The two events spurred sweeping conversations about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and lingering anti-Mormonism against its members.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The impetus for Redeux Style was to teach people how to create beautiful moments in their lives to be more sustainable.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
  • There was enough of an impetus, there was enough energy there.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Attendees left the event with tourniquets or trauma bandages and were encouraged to reach out to Bound Tree Medical to purchase additional supplies for their congregations.
    Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Deadheading encourages chocolate cosmos plants to produce more flower buds, keeping plants productive.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The admission came the day after two Jewish worshipers were killed and three others seriously injured in a car ramming and stabbing attack outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the Manchester suburb of Crumpsall on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.
    Peter Wilkinson, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
  • One of the victims had been stabbed several times in the head and was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The recent sighting provided encouragement to conservationists.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Redd offered encouragement and resources, including money for a hotel room.
    Essence, Essence, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Hull says that some effective safety tweaks to existing chatbots would be relatively simple — they could be programmed to nudge a user to disengage during late-night hours, for instance.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Their losses could nudge Izzo toward some lineups where Carr is at the 3 and the spacing really suffers.
    CJ Moore, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Goad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goad. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

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