as in incentive
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 to urge
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
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Recent Examples of goad
Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2015
Over the decades, the diary would serve as both a goad to and a document of the kind of endless, restless self-searching that was the template of many people’s lives in her generation.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Actions always spoke louder than words with Vardy, who was never comfortable talking about his own success but relished reminding some of the supporters who goaded him that there was a Premier League title in Leicester’s trophy cabinet.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for goad
Noun
As a goad to European diplomacy, talk of arming Ukraine turned out not to be a bad idea.
—Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2015
Over the decades, the diary would serve as both a goad to and a document of the kind of endless, restless self-searching that was the template of many people’s lives in her generation.
—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Verb
Ailing 9/11 responders and survivors don’t have the time for the administration to be goaded and bullied into providing the care and services that were promised.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 May 2025
Actions always spoke louder than words with Vardy, who was never comfortable talking about his own success but relished reminding some of the supporters who goaded him that there was a Premier League title in Leicester’s trophy cabinet.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for goad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goad
Noun
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The Biden administration sought to encourage manufacturers to build in the United States, but those efforts are still in their early stages, and many of the government incentives are now on the chopping block.—
Dan Gearino,
Wired News,
31 May 2025
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While Enders’ report accuses Amazon of contributing to the piracy problem, as the owner of its own streaming service, Prime Video, Amazon has an incentive to fight piracy.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Quote Will Excite Detroit Fans To that end, the Lions have been urged to consider and named the best fit to land a very familiar face.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
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During tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service, people are urged to move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Hurricane Ike, which rammed the Texas Coast in 2008 and caused more than $43 billion in damage with a deadly storm surge that killed 112 people, spurred action.—
Suzanne Wright,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
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At the same time, the world’s third-largest economy has faced a demographic crisis that by necessity has spurred technological innovation, including making strides in areas such as AI, robotics, and space—all of which are vital to defense.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
4 June 2025
Noun
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The church declined an interview and did not respond to specific questions about the impetus for the change.—
Lauren Jackson,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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The immigration issue was Worsley’s impetus to enter politics.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
15 May 2025
Verb
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There is no fee to nominate and self-nominations are encouraged.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
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Inner reflection is encouraged with Mercury in Gemini.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
Verb
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After slaughtering the other contenders and attacking students at the dance, Dan is unmasked after Lori stabs him in the eye with her crown.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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When Jayden tried to intervene, Brand stabbed him as well, according to prosecutors and state witnesses.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
Noun
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What stuck with her most were the messages of encouragement and the resilience of the kittens themselves.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
26 May 2025
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On Saturday, Brinkley – who was married to Joel from 1985 to 1994 – took to social media to share her support and offer words of encouragement as Joel prepares to battle normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a rare disorder which affects his vision, hearing and balance.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2025
Verb
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As rising costs of living have nudged more locals into greater financial precariousness and closer to hunger, the organization reported that nearly two in 10 South Floridians turned to it last year for food.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
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Around the same time, Jupiter in Cancer squares both Saturn and Neptune in Aries, nudging you to assess whether your home and family systems support your growth.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Goad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goad. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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