motivate

verb

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mo·ti·vate | \ ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt

motivated; motivating

Definition of motivate

transitive verb

: to provide with a motive : impel questions that excite and motivate youth She was motivated by a desire to help children.

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Examples of motivate in a Sentence

No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.

Recent Examples on the Web Still, many Republicans are unmoving and unforgiving, especially those who are running for office and see the issue as one that could motivate Republican voters to turn out in next year's midterm elections. — BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2021 Still, many Republicans are unmoving and unforgiving, especially those who are running for office and see the issue as one that could motivate Republican voters to turn out in next year's midterm elections. — Jill Colvin, ajc, 11 Sep. 2021 Still, many Republicans are unmoving and unforgiving, especially those who are running for office and see the issue as one that could motivate Republican voters to turn out in next year’s midterm elections. — Jill Colvin, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2021 The thing that may really motivate people to get those life-saving vaccines, Hotez said, is if the authorization paves the way for employers, businesses and schools to mandate vaccinations. — Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 24 Aug. 2021 That is the kind of self-talk that can motivate him. — Mike Bass, The Enquirer, 19 Aug. 2021 The beliefs that really motivate some of your views about the world may become apparent today. — Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, 17 July 2021 Policy decisions, and the political priorities that motivate those decisions, can make a big difference in outcomes. — Dan Weil, WSJ, 12 July 2021 The truth is that the ability to communicate visions that strongly motivate others to join us in pursuit of a goal has become the defining characteristic of the modern leader. — Dan Bullock, Quartz, 6 July 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'motivate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.