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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivate
Denholm later defended Musk's pay, telling shareholders that the large sum was needed to keep the CEO motivated.
—
Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025
Teams are motivated by proximity to peers who are equally committed and inspired.
—Ryan Brinkhurst, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The shooting of former Broncos player Josh Reynolds and his friend while they were chased by a dozen conspirators across Denver last year was not motivated by Reynolds’ status as an NFL player, the Denver District Attorney’s Office said this week.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2025
The thought of those living with cancer is what motivates Merhige during some of her darkest, most grueling hours in the water.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 1 May 2025
Teams are motivated by proximity to peers who are equally committed and inspired.
—Ryan Brinkhurst, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The shooting of former Broncos player Josh Reynolds and his friend while they were chased by a dozen conspirators across Denver last year was not motivated by Reynolds’ status as an NFL player, the Denver District Attorney’s Office said this week.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2025
The thought of those living with cancer is what motivates Merhige during some of her darkest, most grueling hours in the water.
—George Ramsay, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate
Verb
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Goolsbee’s remarks suggest he’s encouraged by the trade truce with China, a separate 90-day pause on double-digit tariffs on other nations, and soft inflation readings for both March and April.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
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Trump was in the Middle Eastern country Tuesday along with several tech CEO’s to encourage further investment.—
Jenny Goldsberry,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2025
Verb
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Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was already on the phone, trying to persuade Jones to sign with the Chargers, but Tart’s phone calls served to seal the deal for Jones, who also had played with current Chargers Bud Dupree, an outside linebacker, and Elijah Molden, a safety, while with the Titans.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
13 May 2025
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For Syria’s new government, this will be their opportunity to persuade the new administration to do business with a country coming out of a devastating 13-year civil war and mend ties with a leader who was once aligned with the Islamic State and al Qaeda.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
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She would be forced to learn to enjoy the feeling of harmless transgression, as Heiss did.—
Lillian Fishman,
New Yorker,
4 May 2025
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So, does something like this become more important to force people to think and, again, put it into the perspective of kids who normally have much more optimism and have the chance to fix what other generations have completely f**ked up?—
Steve Baltin,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
Verb
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Rewarding a top-10 goal-scorer with the Selke could entice voters.—
Rob Rossi,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
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The state’s Department of Insurance is rolling out a series of policy changes aimed at enticing insurers back into the market.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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This is a great opportunity for communities to honor the country’s past, celebrate its present, and inspire its future through events and video storytelling.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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Known for supporting individuals with autism — an effort inspired by his son, Jonathan — Eichenholz is using the house in part to support Jonathan’s Landing Foundation, which seeks to create housing for 500 people and 5,000 jobs to help adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).—
Laura Kinsler,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2025
Verb
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Aeration stimulates new growth to cover areas damaged by fairy rings.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
11 May 2025
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Zaria Court is designed to stimulate local economies, creating jobs not only in sports but also in surrounding sectors, from retail to hospitality.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
Verb
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But the duo, who were also romantically involved throughout their lives, saw their careers come to an end when Roy was attacked on stage by one of their live tigers, which damaged his spine and induced a stroke that left him partially paralyzed.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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Her doula guided her one night trying to induce labor through exercises and positions, like walking, doing yoga and pumping breast milk.—
Kate Hogan,
People.com,
11 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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