1
as in urged
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
tried to goad me into auditioning for the play
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 goaded
Trump, though never restrained, is now pure id, acting on impulse and goaded on by advisers who see an opportunity to further expand executive power.
—
Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Her ups and downs were a regular punch line on late-night talk shows, starting with her first appearance on The Tonight Show in 1985, when she was goaded into agreeing to lose 15 lbs.
—Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Democrats saw him as a master of dark arts, beholden to his former pals in the oil industry and a warmonger who goaded the nation to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to help his benefactors.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Nov. 2025
In one instance, Holmes alleged, Lorch goaded Holmes into a storage room and told him to climb a ladder to a lofted space to retrieve some uniforms.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Instead, he is now being goaded into the impossible retaking of land Ukraine could not get back in the summer of 2023, during a heavily prepped counter-offensive.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
His facial expressions and reactions to Lynch’s promos and her being goaded into this WrestlePalooza mixed tag team match suggest that there are more problems to come for the powerful heel duo.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
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
During her trial, prosecutors said Rodriguez had goaded the officers for video views.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Her ups and downs were a regular punch line on late-night talk shows, starting with her first appearance on The Tonight Show in 1985, when she was goaded into agreeing to lose 15 lbs.
—Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Democrats saw him as a master of dark arts, beholden to his former pals in the oil industry and a warmonger who goaded the nation to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to help his benefactors.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Nov. 2025
In one instance, Holmes alleged, Lorch goaded Holmes into a storage room and told him to climb a ladder to a lofted space to retrieve some uniforms.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Instead, he is now being goaded into the impossible retaking of land Ukraine could not get back in the summer of 2023, during a heavily prepped counter-offensive.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
His facial expressions and reactions to Lynch’s promos and her being goaded into this WrestlePalooza mixed tag team match suggest that there are more problems to come for the powerful heel duo.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
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
During her trial, prosecutors said Rodriguez had goaded the officers for video views.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goaded
Verb
-
When the then-prince walked up to Giuffre, Maxwell urged the prince to guess her age.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Solo practitioner Marilyn Lahr urged the court to let the jury decide the case.—
Alexa Shrake,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The legendary weatherman and longtime TV anchor recently celebrated his 30th anniversary at Today, a milestone that spurred a flurry of rumors about Roker's eventual departure from the show.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The decision to offer homeownership counseling services, for example, was spurred after a program that offered down payment assistance had no takers.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Liu first laced up her skates at five, encouraged by her father, Arthur.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Those who noticed the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Brockton Police arrested a man who allegedly stabbed a co-worker at Wollaston Alloys Monday night.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
-
A student was even stabbed at a school after the system didn't detect a 7-inch knife.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But after her parents had a chance viewing of bobsledding on TV and nudged her to try a new sport, Taylor pivoted from the infield to ice, to her surprise, rather seamlessly.—
Marquise Francis,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Our divisions are constantly nudged, magnified, monetized, and weaponized by systems that profit from keeping us emotionally engaged and perpetually agitated.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Thankfully, city officials—prodded by tenants and small-business owners, clergy and homeowners, and, yes, some landlords—rejected advice to consign neighborhoods such as East Flatbush to history’s dustbin.—
Michael Powell,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Other officials, too, prodded the IDNR after they were caught unaware about the possibility that the marina would not open for the 2026 season.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Loamy soil keeps its shape but crumbles easily when poked.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The sheet cake is poked with the handle end of a wooden spoon, creating big holes into which the lemon Jell-o (the glaze) was poured.—
Carolynn Carreño,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Witnesses said LaBeouf was thrown out of the bar for being aggressive, then punched someone several times outside.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
When police intervened, multiple arrests were made, including a student who allegedly punched an officer, which required staples in the officer’s head to treat, according to police.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goaded. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
