Impetus
n.energetic, hopefulprofessional
What it means
A force, event, or reason that causes an activity to begin or move forward.
Reach for it when naming the push that turns concern or possibility into action
The successful pilot gave fresh impetus to the town's housing plan.
Choose between these
6- everyday
a person's internal reason for acting is the focus
not when Motivation belongs to an actor, whereas impetus can be an event or policy.
- everyday
spur
a sharp prompt pushes someone into action
not when Spur can sound coercive and suggests a more sudden pressure.
- warm
sustained determination powers the work
not when Drive is usually personal and does not name a one-time external trigger.
- professional
catalyst
one factor accelerates a wider change
not when Catalyst emphasizes acceleration and may not provide the original energy.
- professional
progress is already building and becoming easier to sustain
not when Momentum describes continuing motion, while impetus may be the first push.
- formal
stimulus
an external factor provokes activity or growth
not when Stimulus sounds clinical or economic and need not create lasting direction.
Said against
3- deterrent
- hindrance
- inertia
It naturally appears in
3- give impetus
The grant will give impetus to repairs already designed by residents.
- fresh impetus
A new volunteer coordinator brought fresh impetus to the archive project.
- main impetus
The main impetus for the change came from safer walking routes.
Where this comes from
- Merriam-Webster, noun sense 1a: a driving force or impulse opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.