motivator

noun

mo·​ti·​va·​tor ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tər 

plural motivators

: one that motivates or impels someone or something

a subconscious motivator of behavior

: such as

a

: a factor or situation that causes people to feel motivated to do something : incentive

Only a fool, though, would deny that money is a very real and basic need and, of course, a motivator of sorts.

—Robert W. Corl

Exercising with someone else … can be a motivator.

—Joanne Lannin

Andre Harris, without basketball as a motivator, had slipped back into bad habits academically.

—John Feinstein

b

: a person who motivates others

But Romo's not an enabler; he's a motivator, says [Jessica] Simpson. "If I'm not feeling good about myself, he'll say, 'Get your butt up and go to the gym then!'"

—Michelle Tan

Examples of motivator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Security And Safety The need for security is a fundamental emotional motivator. —Ronak Sheth, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

Quality customer service will not only impress new customers but will also be a key motivator in their decision to stick around for the long term. —Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2024

One of my most powerful motivators is my younger brother, Joeseph. —Julieanna Etter, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2024

On the other hand, millions of Americans' desire to become a billionaire — wealthy enough that building up insurance against future expenses is no longer any kind of motivator — is a large part of what creates the tax revenues that support the insurance model. —Felix Salmon, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above