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 More than 4,300 people are now on Dion’s Chicago Dream waitlist – a fact that motivates Dawson every day. — Kathleen Toner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 What motivates voters Extensive research confirms the axiom that a sense of civic duty is the strongest predictor of whether someone will vote. — Christopher Miller, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026 Despite his training in fine dining, what motivates him is the warmth and affection of home cooking. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026 The romantic entanglements and recording studio dealings are not what fuels the plot or motivates the characters. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 13 Oct. 2026 For restaurant operators, the findings offer insight into how comfortable solo diners feel and what motivates their visits. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026 Review a prospect’s past giving, volunteer work, board memberships and public interests to understand what truly motivates them. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivates

Verb

Applied to a solo outing, that approach encourages diners to appreciate the meal in front of them instead of scrolling through their phones.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Jordan says a recent guideline change encourages doctors to diagnose and treat sooner based on symptoms.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 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

Writing strips out the reactive tone that damages trust and forces people to engage with the actual argument instead of the way it was said.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Maya runs away from her pain by traveling the world, first to Portugal and then to London and Japan, but an unexpected romance forces her to confront her past and realize that there may be more than one love of her life.

— Ellise Shafer, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of forces

Verb

Fielder persuades Holmes to watch it for the first time, on a laptop in the couple’s bed.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
While posing artfully in the store’s shop window, Klara catches the eye of Josie (Mia Tharia), who persuades her mother Chrissie (Amy Adams) to buy her as a companion.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of persuades

Verb

The glasses project light onto 378 pixels in the implant, which converts those light patterns into an electrical current that stimulates the retina’s bipolar cells.

— Erica Sweeney, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Observation generates hypotheses; hypotheses lead to anatomical investigation; anatomy stimulates physiological questions; physiology eventually produces clinical trials.

— Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of stimulates

Verb

While the Blue Demon induces perceptual disorientation, the Rooster privileges visual attention and the architectural discipline of gaze.

— Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of induces

Verb

Another question, says Professor Trotti at Ithaca College, is whether a public execution portrays strength or provokes horror.

— Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026
In deceptively plain diction, the hurdle of one love relationship provokes an exploration of desire and belonging.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of provokes

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“Motivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivates. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of motivates

verb

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