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
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
Reflecting on what motivates continued engagement, Wilbur offers a perspective grounded in impact rather than immediacy.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Colorado’s quest for another Stanley Cup has led the Avs to trade away many prospects and draft picks, which both motivates the Avs to be aggressive in the UDFA market and makes the franchise an attractive landing spot, as evidenced by the success of some of their signings.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2026
Shaun’s content still motivates, but it is now complemented by morning cuddle photos.
—Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 2 Apr. 2026
Not sure if Hafley meant more than an introduction, maybe an in-depth conversation, digging into topics like what motivates a player.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Ours is not to wonder what motivates him to keep rolling at spooky full speed, but to listen to what the man sings, and to hope to keep winning the lottery.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
Know that a leader is someone who listens well and who motivates others toward greatness.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Greed motivates a number of inappropriate behaviors.
—John Moorlach, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Reflecting on what motivates continued engagement, Wilbur offers a perspective grounded in impact rather than immediacy.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
Colorado’s quest for another Stanley Cup has led the Avs to trade away many prospects and draft picks, which both motivates the Avs to be aggressive in the UDFA market and makes the franchise an attractive landing spot, as evidenced by the success of some of their signings.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 11 Apr. 2026
Shaun’s content still motivates, but it is now complemented by morning cuddle photos.
—Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 2 Apr. 2026
Not sure if Hafley meant more than an introduction, maybe an in-depth conversation, digging into topics like what motivates a player.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
Ours is not to wonder what motivates him to keep rolling at spooky full speed, but to listen to what the man sings, and to hope to keep winning the lottery.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
Know that a leader is someone who listens well and who motivates others toward greatness.
—Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Greed motivates a number of inappropriate behaviors.
—John Moorlach, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivates
Verb
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To manage that reality, Manning encourages newer teachers to establish boundaries early and stick to them.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
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Not all that long ago, Fox and Telemundo likely would have blanched at an ad that encourages sports fans to get up from their sofas.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Loot boxes in the crosshairs James alleges Valve entices players to pay for a chance to win a rare virtual item, and that those rare items can be traded for real money in accordance with their rarity.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Your starter entices with a spicy-tangy flavor, leading into the classic roasted chicken entree.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But what begins as a local emergency soon spirals into a deeper, more terrifying mystery, one that forces the town’s residents to confront the unknown.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
-
This constraint forces strict prioritization.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Whale lusts after a hunky gardener (Brendan Fraser) and persuades him to pose for a few sketches; Julian, though bisexual, expresses no such interest in Lori, and any art-making turns out to be a gratifyingly mutual endeavor.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The confidence heuristic explains why certainty persuades us.—
Nick Dothée,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Paul Revere’s ride inspires us to rally behind a cause like helping war victims and to spread the word to ignite action.—
William Lambers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fortunately, certain types of mushrooms are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light during or after harvesting, which stimulates vitamin D production in the mushrooms.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
6 Apr. 2026
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Beta-glucan also stimulates the release of GLP-1 from the gut, sending hormonal signals of fullness to the brain.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The condition induces pain that is disproportionate to the actual initial injury.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
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Played in full, Silent Way induces a pervasive nausea, reveling in gawky soundscapes that seem barely able to contain their outsized, clashing ideas.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.—
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivates. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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