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
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Recent Examples of goads
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
There are tales from Catholic high school — in which Alan Cumming has provided the voice of a disapproving priest — and from musical-theater conservatory, during which Mulvaney gently goads one of the (few) straight men in her audience to perform trans allyship by playing her crush.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Reynolds goads Miller by sending a photo of himself getting cozy with Sophia, and in a moment both lurid and laughable, the prisoner visualizes the two of them getting naked and going at it right outside the cell.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
To Robin Wright’s multimillionaire gallery owner Laura, her son’s new girlfriend is a sleazy opportunist, a gold digger who lies about her academic and professional credentials and goads Laura by going down on Daniel (Laurie Davidson) in Laura’s house with the door open.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Using her charm offensive, Hedda goads naive spouses to cheat, recovering alcoholics to drink and depressives to wander off into the darkness with a revolver.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
There are tales from Catholic high school — in which Alan Cumming has provided the voice of a disapproving priest — and from musical-theater conservatory, during which Mulvaney gently goads one of the (few) straight men in her audience to perform trans allyship by playing her crush.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Reynolds goads Miller by sending a photo of himself getting cozy with Sophia, and in a moment both lurid and laughable, the prisoner visualizes the two of them getting naked and going at it right outside the cell.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goads
Noun
-
This has raised questions about whether the huge tax incentives and infrastructure investments these sites demand from state and municipal governments (such as power stations, transmission lines, water supply upgrades, and roads) will pay off for local communities.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The report also describes incentives for landlords to make energy efficiency upgrades, citing a model in Atlanta targeted at landlords who accept rental assistance vouchers.—
Connor Giffin,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Whatever happens, Goelman urges parents not to let one challenging online incident define your teen or your parenting journey.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The service urges folks to protect tender plants from the cold.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Alex breaks free and, in a panic, repeatedly stabs Evelyn with the syringe.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Spike takes one of Kelson's tranquilizer darts filled with morphine and stabs Samson in the arm with it.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Hints, counsels, warnings, remonstrations, even encouragements are, in the end, of limited value.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Ward and Curlee also started the app Counterbalance, which provides daily encouragements, recipes, community and more.—
Emy LaCroix,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For holidays that are primarily observed in the United States, Tillery encourages travelers to look beyond domestic trips.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In general, the State Department encourages all Americans who travel abroad to sign up for its free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) before any international trip.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Their split spurs Alex’s unconventional midlife crisis, one without fancy muscle cars or a hot young babe on the arm.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
10 Oct. 2025
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From this point of view, Xidan Books may seem to suffer from comparison with the Zhongshuge chain, whose outlets are drawing increasing numbers of Beijing readers thanks to interior design that catches the eye and spurs a desire to linger at length.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Who else pokes holes in this claim?—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Later in the episode, Kelce's cohost and brother, Jason Kelce, pokes fun at Lively's athleticism in a storyline that sees Bridget attend a soccer camp.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In many ways, Trusty is reprising a similar role now in defending Rozier, calling into question the motivations of prosecutors.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
In this case, Byman and McCabe were interested in focusing on cases that, in their view, could be attributed to right-wing or left-wing motivations.—
NPR,
NPR,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Goads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goads. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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