as in encourages
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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Recent Examples of motivates
What motivates you to get up in the morning?
—
Christopher Kaufman, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Understanding the financial spiral that state receivership brings in the event of insolvency motivates me.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Studies have shown that people with HSAs tend to spend less on healthcare, and such control motivates consumers to demand price transparency and shop for the best value.
—Deborah Autor, Boston Herald, 25 May 2026
Boxing tempts him, the business world motivates him and his role as a promoter excites him.
—Jorge Ebro
may 6, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Her determination to win the spirit's praise and to attain his immense gifts motivates her to achieve the ultimate dominant position.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
The color of passion and energy, red, motivates us to take action, yet it is also used to signal danger.
—Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
Active learning also allows students to follow their own curiosity, which motivates them to learn and remember concepts.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
Amid all their attacks and counter-attacks, what motivates each aggrieved party comes to light, painting a rich, empathetic portrait of lives lived under immense pressure — and the illogical outlets that sometimes become our only means of relief.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Christopher Kaufman, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Understanding the financial spiral that state receivership brings in the event of insolvency motivates me.
—Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Studies have shown that people with HSAs tend to spend less on healthcare, and such control motivates consumers to demand price transparency and shop for the best value.
—Deborah Autor, Boston Herald, 25 May 2026
Boxing tempts him, the business world motivates him and his role as a promoter excites him.
—Jorge Ebro
may 6, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
Her determination to win the spirit's praise and to attain his immense gifts motivates her to achieve the ultimate dominant position.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 3 May 2026
The color of passion and energy, red, motivates us to take action, yet it is also used to signal danger.
—Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
Active learning also allows students to follow their own curiosity, which motivates them to learn and remember concepts.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 23 Apr. 2026
Amid all their attacks and counter-attacks, what motivates each aggrieved party comes to light, painting a rich, empathetic portrait of lives lived under immense pressure — and the illogical outlets that sometimes become our only means of relief.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivates
Verb
-
Each line encourages a body to shift when uttered or even when read silently to oneself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
To her daughter, 8-year-old Hazel (Nola Wallace), Paula is the fun parent, a mom who encourages ice cream for dinner, embraces cursing, enthusiastically participates in TikTok dances, and even coaches her daughter’s youth soccer team.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
In a European women’s football ecosystem that still relies predominantly on the beneficence of men’s football, Kang’s bullishness to put her money where her mouth is naturally entices.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
This fast-growing shrub entices pollinators and birds and is deer and rabbit resistent.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The space vacated down the right wing is attacked by Cunha, who forces Mathias Villasanti deeper, creating a bigger area for Guimaraes to receive the ball into.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
This forces doctors to rely largely on supportive care for people in advanced stages of disease.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
In an underdeveloped twist, Clark persuades his skeptical assistant, Kat (Lukita Maxwell), and her more gullible boyfriend, Bobby (Finn Bennett), to enter the Backrooms with him, armed with Bobby’s camcorder.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
The product being optimised is your attention, and the people refining that optimisation have budgets, behavioural scientists, and years of data on what persuades you.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
That's what inspires me — being able to support them.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
After learning their rent is being raised, the pair embark on a reckless night out that inspires an impulsive idea of faking a movie and seeing who shows up.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Grounding might include a Ku Nye full-body massage inspired by ancient Tibetan healing traditions that stimulates the meridian system, acupressure, kneading, deep-tissue techniques and a Tibetan head massage.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Bloodwork found that Fasone was experiencing elevated levels of prolactin, the hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates lactation and influences fertility.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Pamela, a servant, rejects the advances of her wealthy employer and thereby induces him to marry her.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
The heady scent—a mix of white florals, amber, and sandalwood—induces daydreams of tanning on a white-sand beach.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Such a statistic often provokes a familiar gamut of responses from those who read it, from shock, disgust and anger to a debilitating sense of helplessness.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
Likewise, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently warned that the bond market will ultimately prove to be the factor that provokes some action from DC when investors begin to demand higher premiums to continue buying debt.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivates. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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