Related Searches
on Ask.com
incentive - 20 thesaurus results
| 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: | ax to grind |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hidden motive |
| Synonyms: | agenda, hidden agenda, incentive, motivation, motive, reason, driving force, score to settle |
| Main Entry: | bribe |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | payoff to influence illegal or wrong activity |
| Synonyms: | bait, blackmail, compensation, contract, enticement, envelope*, fringe benefit, gift, goody*, graft, gratuity, gravy*, grease*, hush money*, ice*, incentive, inducement, kickback, lagniappe, lure, payola*, perk*, perquisite, present, price, protection*, remuneration, reward, sop*, take, allurement, buyoff, corrupt money, corrupting gift, feedbag, influence peddling, sweetener, sweetening |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| 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: | encouragement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | help, support |
| Synonyms: | advance, advocacy, aid, animation, assistance, backing, boost, cheer, comfort, confidence, consolation, easement, faith, favor, firmness, fortitude, helpfulness, hope, incentive, incitement, inspiration, optimism, promotion, refreshment, relief, reward, softening, stimulation, stimulus, succor, supporting, trust, urging, consoling, enlivening, inspiritment, invigoration, reassurance, reassuring, relieving, shot in the arm, solacing |
| Antonyms: | denunciation, derision, deterrent, discouragement |
| 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: | 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: | inspiration |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | idea, stimulus |
| Synonyms: | animus, approach, awakening, brainstorm*, creativity, elevation, encouragement, enthusiasm, exaltation, fancy, flash*, genius, hunch*, illumination, impulse, incentive, influence, insight, motivation, motive, muse, notion, revelation, rumble, spark, spur, stimulation, thought, vision, whim, afflatus, arousal, brainchild, deep think, inflatus |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | lure |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | bait |
| Synonyms: | ambush, appeal, attraction, bribe, call, camouflage, come-on*, con game*, decoy, delusion, draw, enticement, fake, gimmick, hook, illusion, incentive, inducement, invitation, pull, seduction, sitting duck*, snare, temptation, tout, trap, trick, allurement, carrot*, inveiglement, magnet, mousetrap, seducement, siren song, sweetener |
| Antonyms: | deterrent, warning |
* = 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: | motive |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | reason, purpose |
| Synonyms: | aim, antecedent, basis, cause, consideration, design, drive, emotion, end, feeling, grounds, idea, impulse, incentive, incitement, inducement, influence, inspiration, intent, intention, motivation, object, occasion, passion, rationale, root, spring, spur, stimulus, thinking, determinant, mainspring |
| Antonyms: | deterrent, discouragement, hindrance |
| Main Entry: | pick-me-up |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stimulant |
| Synonyms: | catalyst, drug, incentive, motivation, motive, restorative, spur, stimulus, tonic, upper, analeptic, energizer, reviver, shot in the arm, spark pulg |
| Main Entry: | provocation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | incitement, stimulus |
| Synonyms: | affront, annoyance, cause, challenge, dare, defy, grievance, grounds, harassment, incentive, indignity, inducement, injury, instigation, insult, justification, motivation, offense, provoking, reason, taunt, vexation, bothering, brickbat, casus belli, grabber, irking, vexing |
| Antonyms: | prevention, repression, suppression |
| 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: | incitement |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | motive |
| Synonyms: | incentive, instigation, provocation, stimulus, incitation |
| Main Entry: | instigation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | prompting |
| Synonyms: | encouragement, incentive, incitement, influence, stimulation, urging, abetment |
| 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
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
