motivator

noun

mo·​ti·​va·​tor ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tər How to pronounce motivator (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This reality makes the possibility of a plea deal, where Netanyahu might agree to leave politics in exchange for avoiding prison, a powerful motivator. Daoud Kuttab, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 But Ballard, the show, clings on to that incident as the guiding motivator for nearly everything Ballard does. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 July 2025 Urgency And Scarcity: Tap Into The Fear Of Missing Out Scarcity can be a powerful motivator. Gabriel Shaoolian, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 The main motivator for leaving was to be near my parents who moved to the area a couple of years ago. David Plazas, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for motivator

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivator was in 1909

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motivator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivator. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!