antreiben

Antreiben is a German verb meaning to drive forward, propel, or spur on. It is formed from treiben (to drive) with the prefix an-, giving the sense of initiating movement toward a target. The verb is transitive and commonly separable in the present tense: Der Motor treibt das Fahrzeug an.

In practical use, antreiben can refer to physical propulsion, such as a motor or turbine: Der Motor treibt das Auto an; Der Generator wird durch den Turbinenantrieb angetrieben. Figuratively, it means to push or urge someone or a group to act: Der Trainer hat das Team angetrieben, härter zu trainieren. It can carry a coercive or competitive nuance, but it is often neutral or positive when referring to motivation or incentives. Related verbs include antreiben, anspornen, and motivieren; antonyms are bremsen and hemmen.

The past participle is angetrieben, and passive or perfect forms are common: Der Motor hat den Wagen angetrieben; Der Wagen wird von einem starken Motor angetrieben.

In the noun form, der Antrieb denotes propulsion or a drive mechanism (for example, ein elektrischer Antrieb, das Antriebssystem) and, in psychology or organization, the motivation to take action: innere Antriebe sowie berufliche Antriebe.

Etymology: from treiben with the prefix an-, dating to older Germanic usage; parallel forms exist in related languages. Synonyms include antreiben, anspornen, motivieren, vorantreiben.