as in motivational
serving or likely to arouse action or activity
The biggest motivating factor behind her decision to change jobs was the pay increase. The positive feedback he received was very motivating.
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as in encouraging
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivating
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel sentiment was a motivating factor in Mamdani's election victory.
—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
But even as Chen played arguably her best game of her career on Wednesday, something extra might have been motivating the 24-year-old guard.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Emotions that induce positive feelings— like joy, desire, and excitement—activate our brain’s reward centers, motivating us to solve problems and take action.
—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
Whatever the complex reasons motivating presidential travel, the amount of time spent abroad would no doubt come as a shock to pre-twentieth-century Americans.
—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
16 June 2026
Jalen has credited his parents with motivating him to excel on and off the court.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
What, then, is motivating the 41-year-old to don Portugal’s kit for his sixth and final World Cup this summer?
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Jackson’s own sermon echoed the political moment motivating Gilbert’s run.
—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
These programs act as a powerful catalyst, reinforcing other rehabilitation efforts by motivating inmates towards positive change.
—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel sentiment was a motivating factor in Mamdani's election victory.
—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
But even as Chen played arguably her best game of her career on Wednesday, something extra might have been motivating the 24-year-old guard.
—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Emotions that induce positive feelings— like joy, desire, and excitement—activate our brain’s reward centers, motivating us to solve problems and take action.
—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
Whatever the complex reasons motivating presidential travel, the amount of time spent abroad would no doubt come as a shock to pre-twentieth-century Americans.
—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
16 June 2026
Jalen has credited his parents with motivating him to excel on and off the court.
—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
What, then, is motivating the 41-year-old to don Portugal’s kit for his sixth and final World Cup this summer?
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Jackson’s own sermon echoed the political moment motivating Gilbert’s run.
—
Claire Heddles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivating
Adjective
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Vanessa also wears the hats of playwright, motivational speaker, and retreat host, channeling her storytelling gift across multiple creative platforms.
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Norway’s King Harald narrated their squad announcement video, delivering a motivational speech to the first group to reach a World Cup finals since 1998.
Verb
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Tree was recognizable for his bright fashion, mullet haircut with prominent bangs, thin mustache and encouraging outlook.
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Bad choices like that are a through-line for this whole story, all the way back to Otto Hightower encouraging his daughter, Alicent, to befriend Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys.
Adjective
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This was an inspiring route to take to develop the song.
-
Brunson has the ultimate underdog story, but Alvarado’s is similarly inspiring.
Verb
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The suspects accused of plotting an attack on the UFC fight at the White House allegedly planned to deploy drones armed with explosives around the event, forcing the crowd to evacuate before they would be targeted by sniper fire, court records said.
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Croatia returned from the hydration break with determination, forcing Panama to play its game for the first time so far.
Verb
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Obviously, Donnie being over there was enticing to me.
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For American diners of diverse backgrounds, chop suey struck an enticing balance between novelty and decipherability, which propelled it to national popularity even as the US government moved to exclude Chinese laborers from entering the country in 1882.
Verb
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The French president had also thrown himself into persuading the player to stay with Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2022, as if trying to keep a monument that belongs to the national heritage.
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But luckily for Mboladinga, the Congo squad stopped at nothing to ensure its beloved icon made it to North America, going as far as persuading DRC President Félix Tshisekedi to include him in the team’s official delegation.
Verb
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Red light is mitochondrially stimulating, so late-night use can disrupt sleep.
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Performance benefits often persist even in habitual users, even if the stimulating feel-good buzz fades.
Cite this Entry
“Motivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivating. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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