1
as in urged
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
tried to goad me into auditioning for the play
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Recent Examples of goaded
The czar, goaded by his military advisors, mobilized the Russian army knowing that meant war.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Trump, though never restrained, is now pure id, acting on impulse and goaded on by advisers who see an opportunity to further expand executive power.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Her ups and downs were a regular punch line on late-night talk shows, starting with her first appearance on The Tonight Show in 1985, when she was goaded into agreeing to lose 15 lbs.
—Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Democrats saw him as a master of dark arts, beholden to his former pals in the oil industry and a warmonger who goaded the nation to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to help his benefactors.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Nov. 2025
In one instance, Holmes alleged, Lorch goaded Holmes into a storage room and told him to climb a ladder to a lofted space to retrieve some uniforms.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Instead, he is now being goaded into the impossible retaking of land Ukraine could not get back in the summer of 2023, during a heavily prepped counter-offensive.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
His facial expressions and reactions to Lynch’s promos and her being goaded into this WrestlePalooza mixed tag team match suggest that there are more problems to come for the powerful heel duo.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In the course of the conversation, his old friend goaded him into trying his hand at womenswear.
—Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Trump, though never restrained, is now pure id, acting on impulse and goaded on by advisers who see an opportunity to further expand executive power.
—Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Her ups and downs were a regular punch line on late-night talk shows, starting with her first appearance on The Tonight Show in 1985, when she was goaded into agreeing to lose 15 lbs.
—Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Democrats saw him as a master of dark arts, beholden to his former pals in the oil industry and a warmonger who goaded the nation to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to help his benefactors.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Nov. 2025
In one instance, Holmes alleged, Lorch goaded Holmes into a storage room and told him to climb a ladder to a lofted space to retrieve some uniforms.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Instead, he is now being goaded into the impossible retaking of land Ukraine could not get back in the summer of 2023, during a heavily prepped counter-offensive.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
His facial expressions and reactions to Lynch’s promos and her being goaded into this WrestlePalooza mixed tag team match suggest that there are more problems to come for the powerful heel duo.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In the course of the conversation, his old friend goaded him into trying his hand at womenswear.
—Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goaded
Verb
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Anyone with information is urged to call the Sacramento Police Department at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357).—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Gettleman urged the government to find ways to reach a settlement that would enable ongoing access, consistent with what has historically been the regular practice.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Genious Group also spurred key innovations in denim production, including new washing and finishing techniques.—
SJ STAFF,
Footwear News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The onslaught, and what spurred it, is complex, Huff said.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Given the Hornets’ record attendance this season, prompt action is encouraged due to expected high demand.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
-
This spring, he was encouraged by regaining strength and bat speed.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another did not investigate a claim that a resident was stabbed by a fork-wielding manager, records show.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The 39-year-old homeless man who allegedly stabbed a woman in downtown Los Angeles was wanted for allegedly killing someone last year, according to a law enforcement bulletin a source provided to CBS LA.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Sunday, stops were hard to come by with Flagg scoring almost at will (14 for 27 from the field, 15 for 17 at the free-throw line), and the Lakers’ responses never nudged the needle in their favor.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
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Juvenile whales gently nudged the calf and kept it close to the mother.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some sob when prodded by a fork, others are straight up devoured.—
Joe Wilkins Published Mar 12,
Futurism,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The reason for excitement in this case is a group of young guys who are maturing and learning how to be consistent winners, prodded by a coach who won three Stanley Cup championships in Chicago and has demonstrated a knack for turning young teams into contenders.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Thorns forward poked the ball through and Ball kicked her leg into Wilson’s path, taking her down inside the box.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
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Since then, the president has repeatedly poked at the vulnerability.—
Taryn Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Rockets are a team that lost its starting point guard (Fred VanVleet) at the start of the year while the Knicks brought back and built upon the exact same core that punched the franchise’s first ticket to the conference finals in the last quarter-century.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Manning allegedly punched and kicked Hartman in the face and torso, scratched her, choked her and grabbed her by the hair and slammed her against the floor and wall.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goaded. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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