GOADS Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

goads 1 of 2

noun

plural of goad

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

goads

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of goad

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

as in stabs

to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object goading the horse forward into the stall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of goads

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

In the episode's climactic bridge showdown, the tone shifts to another '90s classic, as Jim Kirk goads Reeger into a confession about the Constitution scandal. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026 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

Companies have plenty of incentives to make that advertising palatable to consumers, but Ireland believes ads will play a role one way or another.

— Allison Johnson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
The city of Mission ultimately pulled the plug on its tax incentives and threw out the redevelopment agreement.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of incentives

Verb

The sequence culminates in the Great Hall, where Ned kicks part of his broken cane to Colum, who stabs MacKinney in the leg.

— Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
But before Bane can finish him off, Batman stabs a Batarang into a little knob on Bane’s wrist gauntlet, the one that controls his intake of Venom.

— Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of stabs

Noun

Many folks send encouragements toward OP mom and her son, while others put heat on the other parents for sexualizing their kids’ friendship.

— DeVonne Goode, Parents, 26 July 2026
All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.

— Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026

Definition of encouragements

Verb

External consultants have helped redesign how the bank encourages people to disclose, simplifying the process and building trust that the information won’t be used against them.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Is there something unique about fraternities that encourages this kind of behavior?

— Richard Hall, Time, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of encourages

Verb

The climate pattern typically emerges every two to seven years and is marked by the heating of ocean waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, which spurs changes in the atmosphere that can affect weather around the world.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Also, reducing gas taxes only spurs demand without increasing supply, which can end up raising prices, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of spurs

Browse Nearby Words

goading

goads

go-ahead

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Goads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goads. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of goads

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

deportment

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes