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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivates
Verb
-
The sleek black straps instantly make the Birkenstock Arizona Softbed Birk-flo Sandals feel a little more sleek, while the roomy design encourages a more natural stride during long sightseeing days.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
-
The final order encourages the Treasury to consider providing retrospective 280E relief for prior tax years in which companies operated under state medical licenses.—
Javier Hasse,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
This fast-growing shrub entices pollinators and birds and is deer and rabbit resistent.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
The blue light entices mosquitos, gnats, flies, and fruit flies, luring them to their demise on an unforgiving sticky pad.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Named by her new owner, Silvia after a Mexican pop star whose 1980s hits ricochet from a rickety TV, Yuri upends Silvia’s solitary existence on a windswept island off the southern coast of Chile, setting the protagonist on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront childhood traumas.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
-
Ida is thrilled with her viral moment — the reel has pulled in over 60,000 viewers — and devastated when her mom forces her to delete it, though for reasons yet unknown to the rest of her family, Nora is too late in stopping its spread.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Its aggressive marketing strategy persuades users to buy a vast range of items at cheaper prices.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
8 May 2026
-
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
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
-
The Taurus new moon inspires thinking about cycles of life, death, and rebirth.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
By delivering low-frequency electrical pulses, the implant stimulates those receptors and influences how the body responds to rising blood pressure.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
-
The caffeine in coffee stimulates the bowels.—
Ashley Olivine,
Verywell Health,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
It is used in combination with a second drug misoprostol, which induces cramping.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
So there’s no excuse not to finalize this deal promptly regardless of whether that induces a hissy fit from United Here and the Chicago Federation of Labor.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Motivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivates. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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