Synonyms of the word

motive

• n. (obsolete) An idea or communication that makes one want to act, especially from spiritual sources; a divine…
• n. An incentive to act in a particular way; a reason or emotion that makes one want to do something; anything…
• n. (obsolete, rare) A limb or other bodily organ that can move.
• n. (law) Something which causes someone to want to commit a crime; a reason for criminal behaviour.
• n. (architecture, fine arts) A motif.
• n. (music) A motif; a theme or subject, especially one that is central to the work or often repeated.
• v. (transitive) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
• adj. Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move.
• adj. Relating to motion and/or to its cause.

causative

• adj. acting as a cause.
• adj. (linguistics) expressing a cause or causation.
• n. (linguistics) An expression of an agent causing or forcing a patient to perform an action (or to be in…

idea

• n. (philosophy) An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared to which real-life examples are seen as…
• n. (obsolete) The conception of someone or something as representing a perfect example; an ideal.
• n. (obsolete) The form or shape of something; a quintessential aspect or characteristic.
• n. An image of an object that is formed in the mind or recalled by the memory.
• n. More generally, any result of mental activity; a thought, a notion; a way of thinking.
• n. A conception in the mind of something to be done; a plan for doing something, an intention.
• n. A vague or fanciful notion; a feeling or hunch; an impression.
• n. (music) A musical theme or melodic subject.

motif

• n. A recurring or dominant element; a theme.
• n. (music) A short melodic passage that is repeated in several parts of a work.
• n. A decorative figure that is repeated in a design or pattern.
• n. (dressmaking) A decorative appliqué design or figure, as of lace or velvet, used in trimming.
• n. (crystallography) The physical object or objects repeated at each point of a lattice. Usually atoms or…
• n. (chess) A basic element of a move in terms of why the piece moves and how it supports the fulfilment of…
• n. (biochemistry) In a nucleotide or amino-acid sequence, pattern that is widespread and has, or is conjectured…

motivating

• adj. Effectively providing an incentive.
• v. present participle of motivate.

motivation

• n. Willingness of action especially in behavior.
• n. The action of motivating.
• n. Something which motivates.
• n. An incentive or reason for doing something.
• n. (advertising) A research rating that measures how the rational and emotional elements of a commercial…

motivative

• adj. motivating; serving to motivate.
• adj. (grammar) In, marked by or pertaining to the motivative case.
• n. (grammar) The motivative case, a case found in some languages (for example Basque) which marks the meaning…

motor

• n. A machine or device that converts any form of energy into mechanical energy, or imparts motion.
• n. (colloquial) A motor car, or automobile.
• n. (figuratively) A source of power for something, an inspiration, a driving force.
• n. Any protein capable of converting chemical energy into mechanical work.
• n. (Christianity, archaic, poetic) The "controller", "prime mover" of the universe; God.
• adj. (biology) describing neurons that create the ability to move.
• v. To drive around leisurely in a motorised vehicle.
• v. (slang) To leave.

need

• n. (countable and uncountable) A requirement for something; something needed.
• n. Lack of means of subsistence; poverty; indigence; destitution.
• v. (transitive) To have an absolute requirement for.
• v. (transitive) To want strongly; to feel that one must have something.
• v. (modal verb) To be obliged or required (to do something).
• v. (intransitive) To be required; to be necessary.
• v. (obsolete, transitive) To be necessary (to someone).

theme

• n. A subject of a talk or an artistic piece; a topic.
• n. A recurring idea; a motif.
• n. (dated) An essay written for school.
• n. (music) The main melody of a piece of music, especially one that is the source of variations.
• n. (film, television) A song, or a snippet of a song, that identifies a film, a TV program, a character,…
• n. (computing, figuratively) The collection of color schemes, sounds, artwork etc., that "skin" an environment…
• n. (grammar) The stem of a word.
• n. (linguistics) thematic relation of a noun phrase to a verb.
• n. (linguistics) Theta role in generative grammar and government and binding theory.
• n. (linguistics) Topic, what is generally being talked about, as opposed to rheme.
• n. A regional unit of organisation in the Byzantine empire.
• v. (transitive) To give a theme to.
• v. (computing, transitive) To apply a theme to; to change the visual appearance and/or layout of (software).