| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reason, purpose |
| Synonyms: | aim, antecedent, basis, cause, consideration, design, determinant, drive, emotion, end, feeling, grounds, idea, impulse, incentive, incitement, inducement, influence, inspiration, intent, intention, mainspring, motivation, object, occasion, passion, rationale, root, spring, spur, stimulus, thinking |
| Antonyms: | deterrent, discouragement, hindrance |
| Main Entry: | account |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | basis or consideration for action |
| Synonyms: | cause, ground, grounds, interest, justification, motive, rationale, rationalization, reason, regard, sake |
| Main Entry: | ax to grind |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hidden motive |
| Synonyms: | agenda, driving force, hidden agenda, incentive, motivation, motive, reason, score to settle |
| Main Entry: | cause |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | agent, originator |
| Synonyms: | account, agency, aim, antecedent, author, basis, beginning, causation, consideration, creator, determinant, doer, element, end, explanation, foundation, genesis, ground, grounds, incitement, inducement, instigation, leaven, mainspring, maker, matter, motivation, motive, object, occasion, origin, prime mover, principle, producer, purpose, root, source, spring, stimulation |
| Antonyms: | consequence, development, effect, end, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, product, result |
| Main Entry: | constraint |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | force |
| Synonyms: | a must, coercion, compulsion, driving, duress, goad, hang-up, impelling, impulsion, monkey*, motive, necessity, no-no, pressure, repression, restraint, spring, spur, suppression, violence |
| Main Entry: | design |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | artful conception |
| Synonyms: | arrangement, configuration, construction, depiction, device, doodle, drawing, figure, form, illustration, motif, motive, organization, painting, pattern, picture, portrait, shape, sketch, style |
| Main Entry: | desire |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | want, longing |
| Synonyms: | admiration, ambition, appetite, ardor, aspiration, attraction, avidity, concupiscence, covetousness, craving, craze, cupidity, devotion, doting, eagerness, fancy, fascination, fervor, fondness, frenzy, greed, hankering*, hunger, inclination, infatuation, itch, lasciviousness, lechery, libido, liking, love, lust, mania, motive, need, passion, predilection, proclivity, propensity, rapaciousness, rapture, ravenousness, relish, salacity, solicitude, thirst, urge, voracity, will, wish, yearning |
| Antonyms: | aversion, disgust, dislike, distaste, hate, hatred, repulsion |
| Main Entry: | drive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | person's will to achieve |
| Synonyms: | ambition, clout, effort, energy, enterprise, fire in belly, get-up-and-go, goods*, gumption*, guts*, impellent, impetus, impulse, initiative, momentum, motivation, motive, moxie*, pep, pressure, punch*, push*, right stuff, spunk*, steam, stuff*, vigor, vitality, what it takes, zip |
| Main Entry: | excitement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | enthusiasm; incitement |
| Synonyms: | action, activity, ado, adventure, agitation, animation, bother, buzz*, commotion, confusion, discomposure, disturbance, dither, drama, elation, emotion, excitation, feeling, ferment, fever, flurry, frenzy, furor, fuss, heat*, hubbub, hullabaloo*, hurry, hysteria, impulse, instigation, intoxication, kicks, melodrama, motivation, motive, movement, passion, perturbation, provocation, rage, stimulation, stimulus, stir, thrill, titillation, to-do, trepidation, tumult, turmoil, urge, warmth, wildness |
| Antonyms: | apathy, boredom, calm, calmness, dullness, lull, peace |