motivate

verb

mo·​ti·​vate ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce motivate (audio)
motivated; motivating

transitive verb

: to provide with a motive : impel
questions that excite and motivate youth
She was motivated by a desire to help children.
motivative adjective

Examples of motivate in a Sentence

No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Patel has denied that any firings have been politically motivated. Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025 The stabilization of apparel inventories after a period of drawdown may help motivate orders, but the cost of sourcing increased with tariffs and could prove an offsetting factor. Sj Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025 Incidents were categorized as left-wing if they were motivated by a number of factors, including resistance to capitalism, support for LGBTQ rights, black nationalism and anti-fascist rhetoric. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025 Jesus talks a big game about how he’s motivated by Antonio’s exit and wants to get revenge against Veejay. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for motivate

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivate was in 1836

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

motivate

verb
mo·​ti·​vate ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce motivate (audio)
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a reason for doing something : induce

Medical Definition

motivate

transitive verb
mo·​ti·​vate ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce motivate (audio)
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a motive or serve as a motive for
motivate patients to change unhealthy lifestyles
motivative adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on motivate

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