Examples of motivate in a Sentence
No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
The children died in June 2023 in what prosecutors described as an eruption of violence motivated by fear of losing them to their father, Nathan John, according to the BBC, who survived the attack.
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Christina Coulter, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Party figures fear the controversy could motivate somebody else to jump in the Democratic primary and drag Jolly into a costly intraparty battle before the 2026 general elections happen.
—Miami Herald Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2025
People arrive genuinely excited, which helps create a positive and motivating vibe throughout the event.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 1 Aug. 2025
Coming less than a year after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the same neighborhood, which was widely regarded as an assassination motivated by contempt for the American health insurance industry, LePatner’s death prompted a similarly vicious response on social media.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
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Christina Coulter, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Party figures fear the controversy could motivate somebody else to jump in the Democratic primary and drag Jolly into a costly intraparty battle before the 2026 general elections happen.
—Miami Herald Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 2 Aug. 2025
People arrive genuinely excited, which helps create a positive and motivating vibe throughout the event.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 1 Aug. 2025
Coming less than a year after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the same neighborhood, which was widely regarded as an assassination motivated by contempt for the American health insurance industry, LePatner’s death prompted a similarly vicious response on social media.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motivate
verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt 
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a reason for doing something : induce
Medical Definition
motivate
transitive verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a motive or serve as a motive for
motivate patients to change unhealthy lifestyles
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