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
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Recent Examples of goads
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Megan McCluskey, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The juiciest bit of gossip is when the group goads Gomez into perusing her Instagram DMs for a message from … who?
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 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
The protagonist then goads him into drinking enough to agree to spending the afternoon at her lake house.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The juiciest bit of gossip is when the group goads Gomez into perusing her Instagram DMs for a message from … who?
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 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
-
The city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County are providing about $375,000 in local tax incentives.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
-
State law restricts the city’s ability to offer certain housing incentives and prohibits rent control.—
Alex Driggars,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The high temperatures particularly threaten babies, young children and elderly residents; Mayor Karen Bass urges residents to seek refuge in city cooling centers at recreation facilities and libraries.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
-
To prevent that, Campbell urges people to keep products in their original containers and store them separately from food.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But this person who was a friend, who owes her career to me, just stabs me in the back.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Bautista stabs and shoots his assailants in an operatic eruption of violence that is done in a single, extended shot.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
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Hints, counsels, warnings, remonstrations, even encouragements are, in the end, of limited value.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Overwatering lawns encourages moss growth, and shallow daily watering leaves grasses with shallow root systems.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Kepner is passionate about accountability and service journalism and encourages anyone to reach out to her to tell their story or share a tip.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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My boredom typically spurs feelings of frustration, guilt, shame—and long nutritionless spells of goggling, slack-jawed, at celebrity news on my phone while the world throbs around me.—
Daniel Smith,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Stella’s restless energy in wanting to fix things spurs her to arrange an impromptu trip for them to Amsterdam.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Your 9th House of Journeys takes focus as the Moon pokes Jupiter in your more localized 3rd house.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Williams pokes a single into the right field gap for an RBI.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His political motivations with these town halls are apparent.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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The doc will also delve back into his past to look for the real motivations that have driven him to become the richest person on the planet and among the most powerful and famous.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goads. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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