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

… won a reputation as a leader and a motivator …

—Leonard Silk

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

Honestly, love is a huge motivator for a lot of stories, and people love seeing that. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026

Across party lines, the fear of losing Hollywood has proved a powerful motivator. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

Those were the survey’s top motivators, at 59%, 44%, 42% and 39%. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

Deeper than mere sadness, and more visceral than fear, significant discomfort is the ultimate motivator for immediate action. — New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above