goad
GOHD
/ɡoʊd/
To provoke or annoy someone so as to stimulate some action or reaction.
Goading usually involves persistent, small annoyances that eventually force a person to act out of frustration.
The story behind the word. A 'goad' was originally a long, pointed stick used by farmers to drive oxen. If the ox was lazy or stubborn, a quick prick with the goad would get it moving. The word moved from the farm to the human psyche, describing how we 'prick' each other into action.
Word relationships
- prod: Prod is more physical or literal, while goad is more psychological and persistent.
- deter: Deter means to discourage someone from doing something, while goading pushes them toward it.
Commonly confused with
- goal: A goal is an objective; a goad is a stimulus (often unpleasant) that pushes you toward it.
Collocations
- goad someone into action
- goad into a response
- constantly goad
Example sentences
- "She mastered the art of goading him into an argument just so she could play the victim." Describing a character's manipulation.
- "He was goaded by the thought of his own insignificance." A real citation from a classic novel.
Memory hook
Goad rhymes with 'Road'. You use a goad to keep the cattle on the road. Goad: Poking the ox.
When not to use
Don't use it for a single, massive act of provocation. Goading is usually a repetitive 'poking'.
Fun facts
- In the Bible, the phrase 'to kick against the goads' means to struggle uselessly against authority or fate.
Explore more words
exasperate, provocative, aggravate, stimulate, antagonize, agitate
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