MOTIVATE Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

motivate

verb

Definition of motivate

as in to encourage

to rouse to action or activity The presence of treats motivated the dogs to obey their owner's commands. They drove a campaign to motivate voters to show up to the polls.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of motivate Highlighting health risks related to extreme weather events and their costs is a particularly important opportunity to engage and motivate those who may be less trusting of climate science. — Rebecca Florsheim, STAT, 17 July 2026 The experience has motivated him to take his leadership skills to a new level. — Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 Smith doesn’t use the pain of past losses to motivate his team, though. — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 15 July 2026 They are partly motivated by generosity, love or communal spirit. — Mark Schroeder, The Conversation, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for motivate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate

Verb

They are accused of encouraging dissent against the regime and were convicted of broad charges of corruption, CNN’s Isobel Yeung reports.

— Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
The Overland Park exhibition invited Black artists from across the Kansas City area to present work that reflected their identities, encouraging each artist to define themselves on their own terms.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026

Definition of encourage

Verb

Four lobbyists who persuaded their clients to pay tour expenses, but did not report them, now face misdemeanor violations of the gift ban.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Numbers like that are persuading brands to start treating in-game ads and product placements as a serious channel rather than a spare-budget experiment.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

Definition of persuade

Verb

Flair then turned her attention to Cargill and hit a big boot, forcing the disqualification.

— Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Funding challenges have forced the closure of re-entry homes like the one at Charlotte’s McLeod Center and the shuttering of re-entry organizations like Redirection-NC as well as local reentry councils across the state.

— Amber Gaudet July 18, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026

Definition of force

Verb

Eventually, the attacker would entice the target to install malware disguised as security software.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
The San Francisco Chronicle first confirmed Saronic’s plans, which come after Texas officials approved a $211 million abatement package to entice the company to locate the shipyard in South Texas.

— Lia Russell July 16, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of entice

Verb

Which of the weddings on GoT was Anglo-Saxon James inspired by?

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 July 2026
The eight-part Spanish-language drama, inspired by real events, is set in 1980s Lima, Peru, and follows the rise of an elite law school cabal that infiltrates academia, politics, and organized crime.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 15 July 2026

Definition of inspire

Verb

The unity shown in Ankara will only stimulate additional doubts over Moscow’s capacity to end the conflict favorably.

— Ihor N. Stelmach, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026
The hormone stimulates insulin secretion, suppresses glucagon—preventing the hormone from causing the liver to release too much sugar into the bloodstream —and slows gastric emptying.

— Liz Seegert, Scientific American, 19 July 2026

Definition of stimulate

Verb

This is likely the first-ever humanoid robot induced strike, although there are other issues at play in the current union negotiations.

— John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
According to the court judgment, the pair arranged for employees and associates to drive up bidding prices at auction, inducing the collector, identified under the pseudonym Li Pin, to purchase the items at inflated prices.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026