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
Ashley Mowreader,
NBC news,
3 July 2026
Blorian said Sporting’s current last-place standing is motivating and a welcome challenge to bring the club back up.
—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
2 July 2026
But one thing that can help is understanding what is (or isn’t) motivating other fans.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Mars activates your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, motivating you to tackle sensitive matters with courage and protect what truly matters.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Players felt that his first meeting went well, and that the message was delivered with a tone that was motivating, but also sensitive to Mendoza.
—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
27 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
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
Verb
What, then, is motivating the 41-year-old to don Portugal’s kit for his sixth and final World Cup this summer?
—
Ashley Mowreader,
NBC news,
3 July 2026
Blorian said Sporting’s current last-place standing is motivating and a welcome challenge to bring the club back up.
—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
2 July 2026
But one thing that can help is understanding what is (or isn’t) motivating other fans.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Mars activates your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, motivating you to tackle sensitive matters with courage and protect what truly matters.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Players felt that his first meeting went well, and that the message was delivered with a tone that was motivating, but also sensitive to Mendoza.
—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
27 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
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
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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The commission has launched several initiatives leading up to the anniversary, including America's Field Trip, a nationwide essay and artwork contest for students, and volunteer service campaigns encouraging Americans to log community service hours.
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No one was ever charged with pulling the trigger, but three other men, Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh, 37, and Jordan Gareth Devine, 25, were charged with murder as accomplices for encouraging or assisting the shooter.
Adjective
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The Knicks were actually good, breaking a 53-year-drought by winning the NBA championship and inspiring acts of passion and mania across the city.
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At a time when artificial intelligence and software continue to reshape the creative landscape, the MPC Sample became a powerful reminder that hands-on music-making remains as influential and inspiring as ever.
Verb
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Liv Morgan controversially interrupted Iyo Sky's coronation, attacking her and forcing a tap-out.
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California previously faced tens of billions of dollars in budget deficits, forcing painful cuts such as a rollback last year on a promise to provide free healthcare to low-income immigrants without legal status.
Verb
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The doe-eyed spa manager, Anupam Banerjee, has come up with a wide range of enticing holistic treatments, from scrubs, massages, and facials; to biohacking PEMF body mats and LED masks; to Ayurvedic therapies; to breath work and meditation.
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The scrutiny belies the fact that the Reflecting Pool has always been enticing to visitors.
Verb
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Since Mary Grace’s death, her parents have poured their energy into persuading lawmakers to make camps safer by banning cabins in active flood plains, mandating 24-7 weather monitoring and requiring rigorous annual evacuation training.
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Vance is leading the negotiations with Iran, which include persuading the Islamic Republic to pull back its support for Hezbollah in return for financial relief.
Verb
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The process involved suctioning the newborn's airway and stimulating him.
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The addition of crushed silicate rock such as basalt to the soil can improve tree nutrition in two ways, either by stimulating tree growth via directly releasing nutrients into the soil, or by increasing soil PH.
Cite this Entry
“Motivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivating. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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