motivate

verb

mo·​ti·​vate ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt 

motivated; motivating

transitive verb

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

motivative

ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tiv 

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

Reaching that first milestone can give you peace of mind and motivate you to keep going. —Jorge Soberón-Hernández, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026

The Mamdani campaign was wildly successful at motivating tenants to vote. —Clio Chang, Curbed, 6 Apr. 2026

Altman, however, told our reporters that he was not motivated by wealth. —David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

The president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque was detained by federal immigration agents, drawing accusations Thursday from local officials and religious leaders that the arrest was motivated by his criticism of Israel. —Sophia Tareen, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for motivate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

Kids 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

motivative

-ˌvāt-iv 

adjective