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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Recent Examples of motivating
Richard Dahlberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Players said the team's resilience has been inspired by McKinney, who, despite the diagnosis, continued to bring energy and encouragement to practices, motivating the team to push forward.
—Cbs Texas Staff, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Sometimes that may include the language of a speech, verbalizing a vision and motivating others to move toward it.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The third factor motivating this type of heroic behavior was social ties.
—Catherine A. Sanderson, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
Seeing this new generation rise is deeply motivating.
—Becca Brazil, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Luna is in your strict 10th house, motivating ferocious Mars in your committed 6th house.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
Cap turns against his bestie, Iron Man, to protect Bucky, motivating the entire Civil War arc.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Decluttering your home may not be motivating on its own, but supporting charitable organizations, reducing landfill waste, and helping others find affordable essentials by donating to thrift stores often does the trick.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
Verb
Have the original goals motivating the PDO been realized?
—Richard Dahlberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Players said the team's resilience has been inspired by McKinney, who, despite the diagnosis, continued to bring energy and encouragement to practices, motivating the team to push forward.
—Cbs Texas Staff, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Sometimes that may include the language of a speech, verbalizing a vision and motivating others to move toward it.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The third factor motivating this type of heroic behavior was social ties.
—Catherine A. Sanderson, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2026
Seeing this new generation rise is deeply motivating.
—Becca Brazil, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
Luna is in your strict 10th house, motivating ferocious Mars in your committed 6th house.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
Cap turns against his bestie, Iron Man, to protect Bucky, motivating the entire Civil War arc.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Decluttering your home may not be motivating on its own, but supporting charitable organizations, reducing landfill waste, and helping others find affordable essentials by donating to thrift stores often does the trick.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivating
Adjective
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My high school basketball coach was, depending on the day, either a motivational genius or a certified madman.—
Mark Glende,
Twin Cities,
27 Mar. 2026
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With traces of the trap titans that paved the way, Kushington’s motivational raps filled his trapper-friendly The Streets Is Yours debut project, which arrived last March.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Felder suggested that the Beth El rabbis send out a congregation-wide e-mail offering guidance on how to respond to the humanitarian crisis—say, by directing members to relief groups or by encouraging members to contact their representatives in Congress to exert pressure on Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Your 4th House of Protection hosts contentment-seeking Venus, encouraging you to take comfort in your private world.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Heat did it by sitting in its zone defense for most of the night, slowing the 76ers and forcing them into 17 non-paint two-point shots.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
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The decision drew immediate fire from El-Sayed's primary opponents and national Democratic figures, forcing a rare public reckoning over how far the party should go to recapture young men who abandoned it in record numbers in 2024.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The dynamic stage production, directed by Phillip M Church, features Justine Chichester, Shawn Buller and Laquantis Morton who deliver—verbatim—Taussig’s inspiring and evocative voice.—
Christina Mayo,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Attendees will receive a pair of wireless headphones and an earful of inspiring sounds.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the open kitchen concept, with local produce and jars of pickles on display for guests to touch, taste, and smell, makes going off-menu just as enticing—just ask the chef for suggestions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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Streaming platforms have reached a point of growth where enticing new subscribers isn’t a top priority.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ever since the first caveman tricked his neighbor into trading a pile of rocks for some tasty mastodon steaks, con men have been persuading others to act against their own interests.—
Neil J. Rubenking,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
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For Fahey and Lawler, the fair emerged from years spent persuading friends and collectors to visit the region.—
Jane Horowitz,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Alcalde explains that red light at 650nm works closer to the surface, stimulating collagen production and supporting skin repair; over time, this translates to improvements in firmness, tone, and radiance.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
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Activities like using a computer to solve a puzzle were considered intellectually stimulating.—
Kaan Ozcan,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivating. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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