1
as in urging
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poking
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object
goading the horse forward into the stall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of goading
Anthropic’s Claude wanted to know whether my headache was tension-related, due to sinus pressure, or something else entirely—hardly a goading question.
—
Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goading
Verb
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Authorities are urging the public to avoid open areas and to be alert to structures, trees, and power lines due to the risk of falls and accidents.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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The agency is also urging people to keep pets on a leash when recreating outdoors, particularly near riparian habitats, which are where moose prefer to live.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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There are also dual Akrapvoic exhausts poking out the rear, framed by slim taillights.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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There was a lot to like about Jovic’s performance on Saturday, with Heat veteran guard Norman Powell pushing and encouraging him along the way.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
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Salt-n-Pepa also joined in, and the group of artists concluded the set with a call-and-response moment alongside the crowd, encouraging everyone to scream along.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For Native people, the war marked a dangerous fork in the road, stirring famine, spurring a massive refugee crisis, and permanently shifting the balance of power in the heart of the continent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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The facility is spurring an explosion of growth and development meant to serve businesses and workers at the new plant, all in the area of Phoenix that relies on the Colorado River.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Last week, Ian seemed to be nudging Robert into taking her off the board.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
2 Nov. 2025
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Where’s this rising courage nudging you to act bigger and bolder?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The irascible Cox has spent years prodding Day-Lewis in interviews over his acting techniques, largely as a way of explaining his irritation with Succession co-star (and Day-Lewis’s fellow Method actor) Jeremy Strong.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
3 Nov. 2025
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As Denji grapples with his growing feelings for her despite his loyalty to Makima, Reze begins prodding him to consider his place in Public Safety, and whether a teenager should really be put in the position of risking his life for the bare minimum of food and shelter.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The trail through this passage is narrow and lined with signature desert plants — which is to say my path became a gauntlet of tiny, stabbing swords.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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Jared Luecke, 33, is facing murder and tampering with evidence charges and is accused of repeatedly stabbing John Luecke with a knife and hitting him with a crowbar, according to court records.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Miami's defense has struggled to keep opponents out of the end zone, allowing 27 points per game, but the offense has struggled just as much punching it in themselves, with the Dolphins only scoring 20 points per game, both of which rank in the bottom third of the league.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Videos shared on social media showed federal agents pinning a man to the ground and punching him in the head.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Goading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goading. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
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