as in to encourage
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 motivate
Prosecutors accused the brothers of being motivated by financial gain and said the murders were committed in cold blood.
—
Doha Madani, NBC news, 24 July 2025
The lawyer was partly motivated by his own roots in Italy’s Veneto region, which includes Belluno.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025
At full strength — and in the final year of his rookie contract — Pacheco is motivated to produce a big season.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2025
At this point, the defensive back remains a free agent and seems motivated by his former team to get back out on the field and make an impact.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Doha Madani, NBC news, 24 July 2025
The lawyer was partly motivated by his own roots in Italy’s Veneto region, which includes Belluno.
—Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2025
At full strength — and in the final year of his rookie contract — Pacheco is motivated to produce a big season.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2025
At this point, the defensive back remains a free agent and seems motivated by his former team to get back out on the field and make an impact.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate
Verb
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Community members are encouraged to see the stadium before the start of the 2025 football season.—
Katie Nixon,
The Tennessean,
25 July 2025
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During his latter stint on the council, Spelman called on Austin police to reevaluate how officers spent their time and encouraged the city to consider alternative programs to reduce crime.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Eventually, the victim is persuaded to contact an IT security representative, who, in fact, is part of the ransomware operation.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
26 July 2025
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During an interview with The Standard, Ozzy admitted that even though he was intoxicated during the violent incident, that didn't persuade him to stop drinking.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
24 July 2025
Verb
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In 2022, then-Land Commissioner George P. Bush forced Paxton into a runoff in his bid for a third term for attorney general.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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So far nothing is forcing the city to even help arrest immigrants, even if Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks. Ohio State Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) has introduced House Bill 26, which directs state and local authorities to assist ICE.—
Sharon Coolidge,
The Enquirer,
30 July 2025
Verb
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For six months, President Trump tried to entice Putin to the table.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 July 2025
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Culinary delight often begins with a visual feast that entices people to indulge in delicious flavors.—
Molly Peck,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The Baxter Building The Baxter Building, the Baxter apartment, and Reed’s lab within it are very much inspired by the architecture of Saarinen and Niemeyer.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
26 July 2025
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Billy Joel has written some of the biggest hits of his generation, some of which were inspired by his family.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
26 July 2025
Verb
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The electrodes could not only stimulate the brain but also record brain signals, specifically local field potentials (LFPs), which are brain waves linked to neuron activity.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Aug. 2025
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Lower interest rates also have an immediate positive impact on consumers who have variable rate mortgages because their payments will go down, which boosts their disposable income and can help stimulate consumer spending.—
Rohit Arora,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
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On the pitching side, no team has issued fewer walks or induced more pop ups (thanks, Joe Ryan - trade him at your own risk).—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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For this good bacteria, it's induced by refined white sugar.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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