motivator

noun

mo·​ti·​va·​tor ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tər 

plural motivators

: one that motivates or impels someone or something

a subconscious motivator of behavior

: such as

a

: a factor or situation that causes people to feel motivated to do something : incentive

Only a fool, though, would deny that money is a very real and basic need and, of course, a motivator of sorts.

—Robert W. Corl

Exercising with someone else … can be a motivator.

—Joanne Lannin

Andre Harris, without basketball as a motivator, had slipped back into bad habits academically.

—John Feinstein

b

: a person who motivates others

But Romo's not an enabler; he's a motivator, says [Jessica] Simpson. "If I'm not feeling good about myself, he'll say, 'Get your butt up and go to the gym then!'"

—Michelle Tan

Examples of motivator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But beyond that, the opportunity to be part of a growing league, one that’s undergoing a remarkable transformation, was also a strong motivator. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 4 July 2025

Create a visual reminder Tracking your progress is a powerful motivator. —Jennifer Horton, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Recent research supports this growing sentiment: For the first time in more than two decades, workers listed work-life balance ahead of pay as a key motivator, according to Randstad’s annual Workmonitor study. —Angelo Chavez, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025

Use your dashcam as a motivator to drive cautiously and obey traffic laws, and keep in mind that a dashcam can also protect you in the case of an event like vandalism or damage caused by nature. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above