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
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
Working with other independent business owners striving hard to succeed has been motivating, Glover said.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Jackson’s own sermon echoed the political moment motivating Gilbert’s run.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Last October Novak Djokovic, the all-time leader in men’s Grand Slam singles titles who turned 39 in May, said James was one of the athletes motivating him to keep going.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 2026
Verb
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
Working with other independent business owners striving hard to succeed has been motivating, Glover said.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Jackson’s own sermon echoed the political moment motivating Gilbert’s run.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Last October Novak Djokovic, the all-time leader in men’s Grand Slam singles titles who turned 39 in May, said James was one of the athletes motivating him to keep going.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivating
Adjective
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If adaptability is now a strategic capability, the agency cannot remain in motivational language.—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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Damian used to get annoyed with his father's motivational chats about responsibility.—
Claudia Boyd-Barrett,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Tree was recognizable for his bright fashion, mullet haircut with prominent bangs, thin mustache and encouraging outlook.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
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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.—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Adjective
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Woody either having or not having a last name has fascinated fans for years, inspiring conversations and debates in comment sections, in message forums, and on fan sites.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 June 2026
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Watching the raw spirit of horses galloping in the wild makes for an inspiring summer destination.—
Madeline Gunderson,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Clark finished with 21 points, forcing Toronto to respect her scoring ability and preventing defenders from keying solely on her passing.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
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The Saudis should be thrilled with the draw, as favored Uruguay, La Celeste, dominated large patches of the match with 67 percent overall possession, a 10-3 margin in shots, 14-4 in corner kicks, more than double the accurate passes and forcing nine saves of the busy Saudi goalkeeper.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Dakota Green of Horseshoe Bend was arrested Saturday on suspicion of felony enticing children through the internet, video image or other communication device, according to the Boise County Sheriff’s Office.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
14 June 2026
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But this disjointed medley, performed by Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty, offered little context for what is meant to be exciting or enticing about the show.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Verb
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For a service built on impulse viewing, telco deals buy instant reach and built-in billing in price-sensitive markets where persuading users to sign up directly can be hard.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
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Candidates must position themselves as entertainers, performing for voters rather than persuading them.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Performance benefits often persist even in habitual users, even if the stimulating feel-good buzz fades.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
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Not only does the brand’s shampoo and conditioner make my hair feel so clean and look so shiny, but both formulas are also jam-packed with strengthening ingredients—avocado oil, olive oil, milk thistle, and growth-stimulating rosemary—that make the combo genuinely feel like a worthwhile luxury.—
Olivia Cigliano,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivating. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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