Meaning & use

goading

verb·Academic

Provoking or urging someone into action, often through persistent teasing or criticism.

See it in a sentence

His friends kept goading him into trying the spiciest dish on the menu.

The coach's constant goading finally pushed the runner to beat her own record.

A note on using this word

Goading implies persistent, sometimes irritating pressure, unlike encouraging, which is generally supportive and positive.

Words with a similar meaning

provokingproddingtaunting

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

discouraging

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