MOTIVATES Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

motivates

verb

present tense third-person singular of motivate

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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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 motivates The memory both haunts and motivates Pugh’s Cathy throughout the series. — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026 In Quadlin and Rudel’s article, a student might become interested in the idea of student debt as either a responsibility that motivates them or a liability that constrains them. — Saurabh Anand, JSTOR Daily, 24 Sep. 2026 And there is nothing that motivates politicians, primarily members of Congress more, than hearing firsthand face-to-face concerns from their constituents in their districts. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026 Kelce also had high praise for Chiefs fans and said the energy inside Arrowhead Stadium is what motivates him during practices. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2026 That must come from leaders who know their people, understand what motivates them and recognize contributions in ways that feel genuine, relevant and personal. — Candy Fernandez, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026 That could change if the Emmy wins give the process new momentum and motivates all sides to find a winning series format. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026 Affordability also motivates votes Affordability was also top of mind for Lisa Bennett, who works in environmental health and safety at the Rhode Island School of Design. — Whitman Littlefield, The Providence Journal, 9 Sep. 2026 Plastered across the top of Jeff Bezos’ social media accounts is a history lesson that clearly motivates him. — Simon Hughes, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivates

Verb

Jainism therefore strongly encourages ahimsa toward all living beings, from animals to microbes, and vegetarianism is the norm.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Sep. 2026
Dumped into waterways, whey encourages bacterial and algal growth that depletes oxygen and can damage aquatic ecosystems.

— Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of encourages

Verb

Turkey’s growing hair transplant and restoration industry in particular entices people with easy-to-digest all-inclusive packages advertised on their websites, online placements, and social media.

— Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 23 Sep. 2026
The high-concept thriller stars Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as a demonic character called The Stranger, who entices a young mother played by Jasmine Trinca into forging a Faustian pact.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of entices

Verb

The companies and economies that endure will be the ones that can balance growth, resilience and sustainability—and change before outside pressure forces them to.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
The process forces light atomic nuclei together at extremely high temperatures and under intense pressure.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of forces

Verb

The eight-episode series, written by Peter Ocko, follows a giant tech conglomerate that persuades the city to place a powerful robot on its police force – a robot implanted with the consciousness of a beloved fallen officer, Alex Murphy (Stevens).

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Nia then persuades Tefa to join her in smuggling cell phones into the regional prison.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of persuades

Verb

Observation generates hypotheses; hypotheses lead to anatomical investigation; anatomy stimulates physiological questions; physiology eventually produces clinical trials.

— Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026
The intimate spa offers a number of different treatments and beauty rituals, but the standout one is Oro di Amalfi, an exclusive massage with natural lemon oils that relaxes and stimulates the chakras.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of stimulates

Verb

The drug induces a powerful loss of personal identity and a brief but total dissolution of time and space.

— Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Spotting even one Bolide in the wild is incredibly rare; seeing a pack of them hurtling down the circuit’s main straight induces goose bumps.

— Sean Evans, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of induces

Verb

In deceptively plain diction, the hurdle of one love relationship provokes an exploration of desire and belonging.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
The development provokes a leadership shake-up on both committees, prompting speculation on who will fill the spots when the next Congress opens in January.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of provokes

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“Motivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivates. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of motivates

verb

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