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Motivate vs Coerce - What's the difference?

motivate | coerce | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between motivate and coerce

is that motivate is to animate; to propel; to cause to take action while coerce is to use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in attempt to compel one to act against his will.

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

    coerce

    English

    Verb

    (coerc)
  • To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb.
  • to use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in attempt to compel one to act against his will.
  • (computing) to force an attribute, normally of a data type, to take on the attribute of another data type.
  • Synonyms

    * compel * bully * dragoon

    Derived terms

    * coercion * coercer * coercee * coercible