motivate

verb

mo·​ti·​vate ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt 

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

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

But my experiments and purchases were motivated less by an innate lust for superior coffee and more by a vague sense, absorbed osmotically from my cultural milieu, that better coffee was something adults strive for. —Peter C. Baker, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024

And although some people are motivated by sacrifice — giving up gas cars or driving fewer miles, for instance — many more can be made to worry about government taking away their pickup trucks or hamburgers or gas stoves, popular talking points for conservative politicians looking to win elections. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024

Albert Choi, a professor of Law at the University of Michigan, says investors in Trump Media may be motivated by factors beyond traditional financial logic, like boosting the price through generating hype. —William Turton, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024

Many were motivated by fear, some by necessity, others by the lure of consumer goods that miners offered, including liquor, shotguns, and new iPhones. —Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

Two of those goals were scored by Santiago Rodriguez, a Uruguayan midfielder who surely will be motivated playing against Suarez. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024

While Hunsaker says he is not motivated by partisanship, every group he’s sued leans right. —Zach Everson, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Analysts and human rights groups say the military’s indiscriminate use of airstrikes and artillery are deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and are not necessarily motivated by retaking territory. —Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

Instead, Rudy said he was motivated by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's conviction for trying to sell former President Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat after Obama was elected to the White House. —Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

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