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
And in some ways, the abruptness with which American leaders have rescinded their support serves to only further motivate those efforts.
—
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Lawyers for Altman argued that Musk was motivated by a pursuit of control over OpenAI.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 May 2026
But her girls motivated her to keep going.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 20 May 2026
The experience motivated Sherron to continue exploring her newfound love for survival.
—Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Lawyers for Altman argued that Musk was motivated by a pursuit of control over OpenAI.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 May 2026
But her girls motivated her to keep going.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 20 May 2026
The experience motivated Sherron to continue exploring her newfound love for survival.
—Charlotte Walsh, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate
Verb
-
The sleek black straps instantly make the Birkenstock Arizona Softbed Birk-flo Sandals feel a little more sleek, while the roomy design encourages a more natural stride during long sightseeing days.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
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Customer loyalty programs can be powerful tools for encouraging repeat business, deepening customer relationships and giving brands a more direct way to stay connected with their audiences.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The goal of securing an indictment is no longer, as Justice Department regulations still require, to put together a case strong enough to persuade a jury to convict.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
-
As Memorial Day weekend approaches, forecasts of plentiful sunshine may persuade many Southern Californians to strip down to their bathing suits — but researchers are warning of unsanitary waters at some local beaches.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Verb
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The economic loss could rise to as much as 100 trillion won if chip production disruptions force Samsung to scrap semiconductor wafers already in production.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
-
The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Lifting the interest rates paid for deposits that banks park at the Fed would entice lenders to divert dollars from checking and savings accounts to the Central Bank, curbing the loan portfolios that fuel expenditures across the economy.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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But to get there, Kalshi and Polymarket need to entice market-makers like Citadel Securities and Jane Street to take the other side of whatever bet these platforms’ vibe-surfing users want to make.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
While Kendrick Lamar was conquering the hip-hop world, Rashad was honing an introspective style inspired by Southern hip-hop pioneers like Lil Wayne and OutKast.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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And, if bright white pants aren’t your thing, keep reading for off-white styles inspired by Martha Stewart and Joanna Gaines.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Certain exercises can help slow bone loss and stimulate bone growth.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
14 May 2026
-
The real show, however, takes place on the surface, as the big, meaty bugs stimulate some of the hottest topwater action of the year.—
Dac Collins,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The following day, Louise was induced.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
An error and a walk put runners on first and second with one out, but UCF right-hander Ava Stuewe got out of the jam by inducing a pair of weak-contact outs from senior Jordan Woolery and redshirt freshman Aleena Garcia.—
Gabriel Duarte,
Daily News,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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