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Compel vs Motivate - What's the difference?

compel | motivate |

In transitive terms the difference between compel and motivate

is that compel is to exact, extort, (make) produce by force while motivate is to animate; to propel; to cause to take action.

As verbs the difference between compel and motivate

is that compel is to drive together, round up while motivate is to provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage.

compel

English

Verb

  • (transitive, archaic, literally) To drive together, round up (rfex)
  • To overpower; to subdue.
  • * 1917 , , King Coal , ch. 16,
  • She had one of those perfect faces, which irresistibly compel the soul of a man.
  • To force, constrain or coerce.
  • Logic compels''' the wise, while fools feel '''compelled by emotions.
  • * 1600 , , Julius Caesar , act 5, sc. 1,
  • Against my will, / As Pompey was, am I compell’d to set / Upon one battle all our liberties.
  • * Hallam
  • Wolsey compelled the people to pay up the whole subsidy at once.
  • To exact, extort, (make) produce by force.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Commissions, which compel from each / The sixth part of his substance.
  • * 1912 , , Sky Island , ch. 14,
  • The Queen has nothing but the power to execute the laws, to adjust grievances and to compel order.
  • (obsolete) To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate.
  • * Dryden
  • Easy sleep their weary limbs compelled .
  • * Tennyson
  • I compel all creatures to my will.
  • (obsolete) To gather or unite in a crowd or company.
  • * Dryden
  • in one troop compelled
  • (obsolete) To call forth; to summon.
  • * Spenser
  • She had this knight from far compelled .
    (Chapman)

    Derived terms

    * compellable * compeller * compelling * compellation * compel testimony

    References

    * * * Random House Webster’s Unabridged Electronic Dictionary , 1987-1996. English control verbs English transitive verbs

    motivate

    English

    Verb

    (motivat)
  • To provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage.
  • * The weekly staff meeting was meant to motivate employees.
  • To animate; to propel; to cause to take action
  • * He was motivated purely by self-interest.
  • * Steam motivated pumps are used in manufacturing.
  • Antonyms

    * demotivate