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spur
| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | lure, inducement |
| Synonyms: | allurement, bait, carrot, catalyst, come-on, consideration, determinant, drive, encouragement, enticement, excuse, exhortation, goad, ground, impetus, impulse, incitement, influence, insistence, inspiration, instigation, motivation, motive, persuasion, provocation, purpose, rationale, reason, reason why, spring, spur, stimulant, stimulation, stimulus, temptation, urge, whip |
| Notes: | the temporal orientation of incentive is toward the future; that of inducement is toward the past |
| Antonyms: | block, hindrance, turn-off |
| Main Entry: | inducement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | incentive, motive |
| Synonyms: | attraction, bait, brainwash*, carrot, cause, come-on, con*, consideration, desire, encouragement, hard sell, hook*, impulse, incitement, influence, leader, lure, reward, snow job, soft soap, spur, stimulus, sweet talk, temptation, twist, urge |
| Notes: | the temporal orientation of incentive is toward the future; that of inducement is toward the past |
| Antonyms: | discouragement, disincentive, hindrance, prevention |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | inspiration |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | idea, stimulus |
| Synonyms: | afflatus, animus, approach, arousal, awakening, brainchild, brainstorm*, creativity, deep think, elevation, encouragement, enthusiasm, exaltation, fancy, flash*, genius, hunch, illumination, impulse, incentive, inflatus, influence, insight, motivation, motive, muse, notion, revelation, rumble, spark, spur, stimulation, thought, vision, whim |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | inspire |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | encourage, stimulate |
| Synonyms: | affect, animate, arouse, be responsible for, carry, cause, commove, elate, embolden, endue, enkindle, enliven, exalt, excite, exhilarate, fire up, galvanize, get*, give impetus, give one an idea, give rise to, hearten, imbue, impress, infect, inflame, influence, inform, infuse, inspirit, instill, invigorate, motivate, occasion, produce, provoke, quicken, reassure, set up, spark, spur, start off, stir, strike, sway, touch, trigger, urge, work up |
| Antonyms: | discourage, dissuade |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | instigate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | influence, provoke |
| Synonyms: | abet, actuate, add fuel, bring about, egg on, encourage, fire up, foment, goad, hint, impel, incite, inflame, initiate, insinuate, kindle, make waves, move, needle, persuade, plan, plot, prompt, put up to, rabble-rouse, raise, rouse, scheme, set on, spur, start, steam up, stimulate, stir up, suggest, turn on, urge, whip up, work up |
| Antonyms: | halt, prevent, stop |
| Main Entry: | lead |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | guide mentally; influence |
| Synonyms: | affect, bring, bring on, call the shots, cause, command, conduce, contribute, convert, direct, dispose, draw, get the jump on, go out in front, govern, head, helm, incline, induce, introduce, manage, motivate, move, persuade, preside over, prevail, produce, prompt, quarterback, result in, run things, serve, shepherd, spearhead*, spur, supervise, tend, trail-blaze |
| Antonyms: | comply, consent, follow, obey |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | limb |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | appendage |
| Synonyms: | arm, bough, branch, extension, extremity, fin, gam, leg, lobe, member, offshoot, part, pin, pinion, process, projection, spray, sprig, spur, stem, switch, unit, wheel, wing |
| Main Entry: | motivate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stimulate, instigate |
| Synonyms: | actuate, arouse, bring, cause, dispose, draw, drive, egg on, excite, fire, galvanize, give incentive, goad, goose, impel, incite, incline, induce, innervate, innerve, inspire, inspirit, lead, move, persuade, pique, predetermine, predispose, prevail upon, prompt, propel, provoke, quicken, rouse, set afoot, set astir, sound, spark, spur, suggest, sway, touch off, trigger, whet |
| Antonyms: | depress, disconcert, discourage, dissuade |
| Main Entry: | motivation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | ambition, inspiration |
| Synonyms: | action, actuation, angle, catalyst, desire, disposition, drive, encouragement, fire, get up and go, gimmick, goose, hunger, impetus, impulse, impulsion, incentive, incitation, incitement, inclination, inducement, instigation, interest, kick*, motive, persuasion, predetermination, predisposition, provocation, push, reason, right stuff, spur, stimulus, suggestion, wish |
| Antonyms: | depression, discouragement |
* = informal/non-formal usage
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
