| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | act, move speedily |
| Synonyms: | accelerate, barrel, be quick, beeline, bestir, breeze, bullet, burst, bustle, dash, dig in, drive, expedite, fleet, flit, fly, get a move on, go like lightning, goad, haste, hasten, hurry up, hustle, jog, lose no time, make haste, make short work of, make time, make tracks, nip, push, quicken, race, rip, rocket, roll, run, rush, sally, scoot, scurry, shake a leg, smoke, speed, speed up, spur, step on gas, step on it, turn on steam, urge, whirl, whish, whisk, whiz, zip |
| Antonyms: | dally, dawdle, delay, procrastinate, rest, slow, stall, wait |
| Main Entry: | incite |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | encourage, provoke |
| Synonyms: | abet, activate, actuate, agitate, animate, arouse, coax, craze, drive, egg on, encourage, excite, exhort, fan the fire, foment, force, forward, further, get to, goad, impel, induce, inflame, influence, inspire, inspirit, instigate, juice*, key up, motivate, persuade, prick, promote, prompt, provoke, psych, push, put up to, raise, rouse, set, set off, solicit, spur, stimulate, stir up, talk into, taunt, trigger, urge, whip up, work up |
| Notes: | incite means to provoke or stir up while insight means clear or deep perception of a situation |
| Antonyms: | delay, deter, discourage, prohibit |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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: | needle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | tease, annoy |
| Synonyms: | aggravate, badger, bait, bedevil, bother, examine, gnaw, goad, harass, hector, irk, irritate, nag, nettle, pester, plague, prick, prod, provoke, question, quiz, ride*, rile, ruffle, spur, sting, taunt, tweak*, worry |
| Antonyms: | praise |
| Main Entry: | pique |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | offend, provoke |
| Synonyms: | absorb, affront, annoy, arouse, bother, bug*, displease, egg on, exasperate, excite, fire up, gall, galvanize, get a rise out of, get under skin, get*, give a hard time, give the business, goad, goose, grab, ignite, incense, irk, irritate, kindle, make waves, miff, mortify, motivate, move, nettle, offend, peeve, prick, put out, quicken, rile, rouse, spur, stimulate, sting*, stir, vex, whet, work up, wound |
| Notes: | peak means 'maximize,' peek means 'to peep or snoop,' and pique means 'to excite or irritate' |
| Antonyms: | delight, please |
| Main Entry: | prick |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stab, perforate |
| Synonyms: | bore, cut, drill, enter, hurt, jab, lance, pierce, pink, punch, puncture, slash, slit, smart, spur, sting |