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
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.
—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.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for goads
Noun
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Kansas and Missouri have spent the past 18 months trying to secure the team through sweeping stadium-funding incentives packages — which the Chiefs used last month to announce their intentions for a move to Kansas.—
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The country is largely focused on a self-sufficiency drive to build up its chipmaking capabilities, a push that’s included readying a new round of incentives of as much as $70 billion for the chip sector.—
Verb
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The Delaware County District Attorney's Office urges anyone with additional information to contact Detective Leah Cesanek at 610-623-1500 or Detective Chris Karr at 610-891-4700.—
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The contest urges fans to submit new flavor ideas for a chance to win $1 million.—
Verb
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The suspect pounces on Ennin while the victim is down and stabs him multiple times before running off.—
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After Fiona confesses to killing Willem, a raging Constance stabs Dahlia.—
Noun
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In October 2024 ahead of her own stay at MSG, Billie Eilish recorded encouragements to take the subways for environmental benefits.—
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Hints, counsels, warnings, remonstrations, even encouragements are, in the end, of limited value.—
Verb
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Pruning perennials at the right time encourages plants to leaf out, grow bushier, develop sturdier stems, and potentially produce more flowers.—
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Loudermilk says this is just one of the many ways Lions Clubs work to support their communities and encourages anyone interested in joining to reach out.—
Verb
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Water Well After Pruning Pruning spurs plants to produce new growth, and water is essential for healthy growth.—
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Those spurs make flowers and fruits.—
Verb
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Is every head that pokes in to look at me actually Frank himself?—
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The Aries moon pokes holes in old insecurities about competence and productivity.—
Noun
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Trump has repeatedly touted Venezuela’s rich oil supply as among the motivations for the January 2 military assault on the country and the capture of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, who has since been charged with drug trafficking and weapons possession.—
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Though the videos did not reveal a motive, the federal investigation into Valente’s motivations will continue, the US attorney’s office said.—
Cite this Entry
“Goads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goads. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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