as in incentives
something that arouses action or activity
the threat of skin cancer—not to mention the prospect of wrinkles—should be sufficient goad for using sunscreen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in urges
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
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 goads
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
Dawn goads Joe about Ted, suggesting that Joe’s late father, who was also sheriff, would have taken action.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goads
Noun
-
These centers offer further incentives to tech companies looking for enterprise customers.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Further billions are earmarked for technology upgrades, partnerships with state and local law enforcement, and retention incentives for ICE personnel.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When supplements are necessary, Sanchez urges parents to choose professional-grade options that prioritize absorption, ingredient quality and transparency.—
Jazmine A. Ortiz,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Zhang urges you to set mental boundaries like refraining from overthinking.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The person then stabs it with a long knife.—
Claudia Lauer,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Near the end of the video, the unseen cameraperson flips the notebook to a page containing a diagram of the church and stabs the diagram with a knife.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Ward and Curlee also started the app Counterbalance, which provides daily encouragements, recipes, community and more.—
Emy LaCroix,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
My hope is that Reunion encourages commissioners and production companies to create space for other deaf people to come forward and tell their stories.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The presence of citizen participation in legal decision-making encourages civic engagement, fosters public trust and reanimates the participatory ideals on which the American republic was founded.—
Richard Lorren Jolly,
The Conversation,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Exercise spurs insulin sensitivity (the opposite of insulin resistance) by assisting insulin signaling in your muscles to take in glucose and use it as fuel.—
Bryant Stamford,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
-
While many growth factors are human-derived (which, naturally, spurs some ethical concerns), Bioeffect’s come from barley, which Brezavscek says are still effective.—
Arden Fanning Andrews,
Vogue,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The brand’s giant green owl mascot dances badly, makes obscure pop culture references and pokes fun at the company’s push notifications.—
Leeron Walter,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Like his contemporaries, Meyers often pokes fun at the ongoing actions of the president and his administration on Late Night.—
Emlyn Travis Updated,
EW.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There are lots of different motivations, generating revenue—the tariff revenue is quite significant.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
-
However, there’s another new character whose motivations have not been revealed.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Goads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goads. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share