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motivate vs spur

Both 'motivate' and 'spur' are correct and commonly used in English. They are synonyms that can be used interchangeably to mean to encourage or stimulate someone to take action. The choice between the two may depend on personal preference or the specific context in which they are used.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 1033 views

motivate

This is a correct and commonly used word in English.

The word 'motivate' means to provide someone with a reason to do something. It is often used in the context of inspiring or encouraging someone to take action.

Examples:

  • She tried to motivate her team to work harder.
  • The coach's speech motivated the players to give their best performance.
  • He'd want to motivate the Senator to complete the deal.
  • He did it to motivate his own men.
  • This measure can only motivate European research and innovation.
  • I may be able to motivate the peripheral nervous system to regenerate as Schwann cells.
  • If anyone can motivate him to move, and Jan will.
  • I'm here to motivate their labor.
  • You're learning how to motivate people.
  • Nothing like a hanging to motivate people to relocate.
  • I think she needs something to motivate her.
  • He tries to motivate the band by accusing them of playing cocktail music.
  • literally unable to motivate anyone to do anything.
  • Time to motivate, let's blow some minds here.
  • It's hard to motivate cops when your home base is a sinking ship.
  • Moreover, the procedure will not serve to motivate customs officials.
  • The rapporteur asks the Commission to motivate in detail its proposals in this field.
  • More incentives are needed to motivate our partners in Europe to make painful reforms.
  • Nor am I sure it is a good way to motivate the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
  • We must therefore motivate our Latin American friends to call an end to these destructive actions.
  • Mr President, this is the only thing that should motivate the European Parliament.
  • The Council must motivate its measures in public at European level.

Alternatives:

  • inspire
  • encourage
  • drive
  • stimulate

spur

This is a correct and commonly used word in English.

The word 'spur' means to urge or encourage someone to do something, typically by providing a stimulus or incentive. It is often used in a similar context as 'motivate'.

Examples:

  • The reward spurred him to work harder.
  • The challenge spurred her to push her limits.
  • This is a cowboy's spur.
  • It's made from a spur left over after they cast the original golden spike.
  • The spur is very long, S-shaped.
  • This can be a useful spur to national governments preparing their employment action plans for the Cardiff Summit next year.
  • It was spur of the moment.
  • Not so spur of the moment.
  • Kind of spur of the moment.
  • As well as the spur, the Afghans had other geographic advantages.
  • My shame as a spur, I fled the abyss.
  • Behind this spur lies the village of Mazra, around which Ayub Khan had camped.
  • A rugged and precipitous spur separates the Arghandab valley from the Kandahar plain.
  • This smells spur of the moment to me.
  • It was a spur of the moment thing.
  • A little further on is Capo Calavà, a spectacular rocky spur.
  • This semicircular spur is known as Phaedriades, and overlooks the Pleistos Valley.
  • The proximal spur, bigger, can be even more than 5 centimetres long.
  • On May 17, 1971, Kazuharu Kohara and Motoki, part of an 11-man Japanese team, reached the summit via the north-west spur.
  • The spur is cylindrical or clavate, horizontal or ascending.
  • The male has short spur on its grey legs, none in female.
  • Circumstance, spur of the moment.

Alternatives:

  • encourage
  • prompt
  • stimulate
  • incite

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