motivate
verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt 
motivated; motivating
1
: to give (someone) a reason for doing something
questions that excite and motivate youth
She was motivated by a desire to help children.
2
: to be a reason for something
said that money did not motivate their decision
Examples of motivate in a Sentence
No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2011, Aguirre devised a technique to motivate his Real Zaragoza players ahead of a league match against Real Madrid.
—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Nearly a year after the expiration of a $7,500 federal tax incentive for new electric vehicles, California is stepping in to try to motivate buyers to go electric.
—
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2026
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
For the most part, Dinner’s visual choices are motivated less by outside references than the scripts by Yost and the show’s other writers.
—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivate
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Colin Millar,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Nearly a year after the expiration of a $7,500 federal tax incentive for new electric vehicles, California is stepping in to try to motivate buyers to go electric.
—
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2026
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
For the most part, Dinner’s visual choices are motivated less by outside references than the scripts by Yost and the show’s other writers.
—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motivate
verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a reason for doing something : induce
Medical Definition
motivate
transitive verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a motive or serve as a motive for
motivate patients to change unhealthy lifestyles
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