motivate
verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt 
motivated; motivating
1
: to give (someone) a reason for doing something
questions that excite and motivate youth
She was motivated by a desire to help children.
2
: to be a reason for something
said that money did not motivate their decision
Examples of motivate in a Sentence
No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the biggest mistakes advisers make is assuming every client is motivated solely by maximizing price.
—
Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
And that could motivate another round of aggressive additions at the midseason trade deadline.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Therefore, if the insect appears relaxed or motivated by food, gentle stimulation is used to direct movement.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
The twin offensives are targeting Hamas and Hezbollah respectively, though critics argue that the operations are motivated at least in part by domestic politics — Israel is due to hold elections by October — and are amplifying troubling humanitarian situations in Gaza and Lebanon.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivate
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Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 30 May 2026
And that could motivate another round of aggressive additions at the midseason trade deadline.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Therefore, if the insect appears relaxed or motivated by food, gentle stimulation is used to direct movement.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
The twin offensives are targeting Hamas and Hezbollah respectively, though critics argue that the operations are motivated at least in part by domestic politics — Israel is due to hold elections by October — and are amplifying troubling humanitarian situations in Gaza and Lebanon.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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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