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
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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
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The protagonist then goads him into drinking enough to agree to spending the afternoon at her lake house.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
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
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
When the two wind up at a random Easter brunch, Winfried goads Ines into karaoke.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The protagonist then goads him into drinking enough to agree to spending the afternoon at her lake house.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
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
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
-
These discussions include possible revenue sharing between the data company and village along with tax incentives.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
Those changes were designed to reduce incentives for excessive litigation, particularly in insurance claims.—
Contessa Brewer,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The Bay Area Host Committee urges drivers to plan for extra time and heavy congestion before and after matches.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
The city urges residents to report coyote sightings by calling 3-1-1 or making a report online.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
His right-hand man, Bishop, pulls an Iago on him and stabs him in the back by emptying his bullets.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
The shower curtain opens, revealing an old woman, who stabs and decapitates Mary.—
Therie Hendrey-Seabrook,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
19 Mar. 2026
-
In October 2024 ahead of her own stay at MSG, Billie Eilish recorded encouragements to take the subways for environmental benefits.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The scene of the two boys discussing Kayda is kind of funny, especially the number of times Zach laughs and encourages Bryce to go for it.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
12 June 2026
-
The new standard encourages companies to prioritize direct emissions reductions across operations and value chains, while at the same time adjusting systems within their operation where direct decarbonization isn’t possible.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
But the immune system has sensed that something is wrong, and spurs a more brute force reaction.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
2 June 2026
-
Then Charlotte’s decision to sell their late father’s robotics company—and with it, beings like Cy—spurs Grayson into action, stealing the flash drive with all the company secrets and towing Cy along on his attempt at a corporate takeover.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
One of the main impetuses for this is that newer planes are flying further, which means airline routes are getting longer.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
In it, Grace can be seen playing a racing game while the Mallrats creator pokes fun at her driving skills.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 June 2026
-
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander apparently isn’t amused by a new board game that pokes fun at the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s reputation for garnering foul calls at the hint of contact by an opposing player.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goads. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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