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impetus - 19 thesaurus results
| Main Entry: | impetus |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stimulus, force |
| Synonyms: | catalyst, energy, goad, impulse, incentive, incitement, momentum, motivation, power, pressure, push, spur, stimulant, urge, impulsion, incitation |
| Antonyms: | block, check, hindrance |
| Main Entry: | catalyst |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something which incites activity |
| Synonyms: | agitator, goad, impetus, impulse, incendiary, incentive, incitement, motivation, reactionary, spark plug, spur, stimulant, adjuvant, enzyme, incitation, radical stimulus, reactant, synergist, wave maker |
| Antonyms: | block, prevention, blockage, preventer |
| Main Entry: | élan |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | vivacity |
| Synonyms: | animation, ardor, dash, esprit, flair, impetus, life, oomph*, panache, spirit, style, verve, vigor, vim, zest, zing*, brio, impetuosity |
| Antonyms: | dullness, lifelessness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | goad |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stimulus |
| Synonyms: | catalyst, compulsion, desire, drive, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitement, irritation, lash, lust, motivation, passion, pressure, prod, spur, urge, whip, zeal, impulsion, incitation |
| Antonyms: | deterrent, discouragement, diversion, restraint |
| Main Entry: | incentive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | lure, inducement |
| Synonyms: | bait, catalyst, come-on*, consideration, drive, encouragement, enticement, excuse, exhortation, goad, ground, impetus, impulse, incitement, influence, insistence, inspiration, instigation, motivation, motive, persuasion, provocation, purpose, rationale, reason, spring, spur, stimulant, stimulation, stimulus, temptation, urge, whip, allurement, carrot*, determinant, reason why |
| Notes: | the temporal orientation of incentive is toward the future; that of inducement is toward the past |
| Antonyms: | block, hindrance, turn-off |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | motivation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | ambition, inspiration |
| Synonyms: | action, angle, catalyst, desire, disposition, drive, encouragement, fire, gimmick, hunger, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitement, inclination, inducement, instigation, interest, kick*, motive, persuasion, predisposition, provocation, push, reason, right stuff*, spur, stimulus, suggestion, wish, actuation, get up and go, goose*, impulsion, incitation, predetermination |
| Antonyms: | depression, discouragement |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | progress |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | advancement, gain |
| Synonyms: | advance, betterment, boost, break, breakthrough, buildup, course, dash, development, evolution, expedition, flowering, growth, headway, hike, impetus, improvement, increase, journey, lunge, march, momentum, motion, movement, ongoing, pace, passage, process, procession, proficiency, progression, promotion, rate, rise, stride, tour, voyage, way, amelioration, anabasis, evolvement, step forward, unfolding |
| Antonyms: | decline, decrease, deterioration, retreat, retrogression |
| Main Entry: | spur |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | incitement, stimulus |
| Synonyms: | catalyst, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, inducement, motivation, motive, needle*, prick, stimulant, trigger, urge, activation, actuation, excitant, goose*, incitation, turn-on |
| Antonyms: | curb, hindrance |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | stimulant |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | substance that invigorates |
| Synonyms: | catalyst, drug, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitement, motivation, motive, pick-me-up*, restorative, spark plug, spur, stimulus, tonic, upper, analeptic, bracer, energizer, excitant, incitation, reviver, shot in the arm |
| Antonyms: | depressant |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | stimulus |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | provocation |
| Synonyms: | bang*, boost, catalyst, cause, charge, encouragement, fillip, fireworks*, flash*, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, incitement, inducement, instigation, invitation, kick*, motivation, motive, push, spur, stimulant, stimulation, sting*, urging, eye-opener, incitation, piquing, propellant, shot in the arm, turn-on |
| Antonyms: | discouragement, hindrance, tranquilizer |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | urge |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | very strong desire |
| Synonyms: | appetite, compulsion, craving, drive, fancy, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, itch*, longing, lust, motive, passion, pressure, stimulant, stimulus, sweet tooth*, weakness, wish, yearning, yen, appetition, druthers, fire in belly |
| Antonyms: | dislike, hate |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | velocity |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | speed |
| Synonyms: | acceleration, celerity, dispatch, expedition, gait, haste, headway, hurry, impetus, momentum, pace, quickness, rapidity, rate, swiftness, tempo, fleetness, rapidness |
| Main Entry: | advance |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | forward movement |
| Synonyms: | advancement, headway, impetus, motion, progress, progression |
| Antonyms: | halt, hesitation, recession, stop, withdrawal |
| Main Entry: | force |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | physical energy, power |
| Synonyms: | arm, brunt, clout, coercion, compulsion, conscription, draft, duress, effort, enforcement, extortion, fury, impact, impetus, impulse, might, momentum, muscle, potency, potential, pressure, punch, push, sinew, sock*, speed, steam, stimulus, strain, strength, stress, stuff*, tension, trouble, velocity, vigor, violence, constrait, dynamism, exaction, full head of steam, horsepower, pains, pow, strong arm, subjection, what it takes |
| Antonyms: | weakness, powerlessness |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | impulse |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | throb, stimulus |
| Synonyms: | augmentation, beat, bump, catalyst, drive, force, impetus, lash, momentum, movement, pressure, propulsion, pulse, push, rush, shock, shove, stroke, surge, thrust, vibration, impulsion, pulsation |
| Main Entry: | reason |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | intention, aim |
| Synonyms: | antecedent, argument, basis, cause, consideration, design, end, goal, grounds, idea, impetus, incentive, inducement, motivation, motive, object, occasion, proof, purpose, rationale, root, spring, target, warrant, wherefore*, why, determinant, ulterior motive, why and wherefore, whyfor |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | thrust |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | forward movement |
| Synonyms: | advance, blitz, boost, drive, impetus, jump, lunge, momentum, onset, onslaught, poke, pressure, prod, propulsion, punch, push, shove, stab, whack, wham, impulsion |
| Antonyms: | pull |
| Main Entry: | drive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | person's will to achieve |
| Synonyms: | ambition, clout, effort, energy, enterprise, goods*, gumption*, guts*, impetus, impulse, initiative, momentum, motivation, motive, moxie*, pep, pressure, punch*, push*, right stuff*, spunk*, steam*, stuff*, vigor, vitality, zip*, fire in belly, get-up-and-go, impellent, what it takes |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | spring |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | origin |
| Synonyms: | beginning, cause, consideration, fountain, fountainhead, impetus, motive, root, source, stimulus, well, wellspring, whence, fount |
| Antonyms: | end, result |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
