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
By sharing stories of corruption, privilege and inequality, social media not only informed but also galvanized Nepal’s youth, motivating collective mobilization against the country’s systemic injustice.
—
Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
And investigators believe it was motivated by some extremism.
—ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Dangerous motivation With Robinson now in custody, investigators will dig into what might have motivated the suspect.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
People from all different walks of life are motivated to step to do something that will help bring justice.
—Nick Mordowanec
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Nir Kshetri, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2025
And investigators believe it was motivated by some extremism.
—ABC News, 14 Sep. 2025
Dangerous motivation With Robinson now in custody, investigators will dig into what might have motivated the suspect.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
People from all different walks of life are motivated to step to do something that will help bring justice.
—Nick Mordowanec
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate
Verb
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Knocking down webs on your porch and around entries will encourage spiders to move on to somewhere else.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
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Readers should not rely solely on the content of this article and are encouraged to seek professional advice tailored to their specific circumstances.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Masiko enrolled him in a boarding school and persuaded Peter’s mom to allow her son to move in with his family.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
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The alleged gunman was identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, whose family persuaded him to turn himself in after a two-day manhunt.—
Landon Mion , Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Kuomintang, or KMT, also known as the Nationalist Party of China, is the party formerly led by Chiang Kai-shek that ruled the entirety of the Republic of China before Mao Zedong’s communist military forced it to flee to Taiwan.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
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The show also featured a number of first-time nominees and first-time winners like Tramell Tillman, Jeff Hiller, Hannah Einbinder, and Owen Cooper, all of whom were been forced to amend their moment in the spotlight to adhere to the joke.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The increase in payments to insurers could be seen as a way to entice Medicare beneficiaries to move to Medicare Advantage.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
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Because while the perks of his elevated status are enticing, maintaining his dominance is as difficult as establishing it.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With the goal of being a resource for both emerging and established creative talent, the 2,000 square-foot space will soon introduce educational initiatives and mentorship opportunities led by filmmakers hoping to inspire the next generation of storytellers.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
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The long-running series has inspired an anime television series, podcasts and fan sites.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At the same time, playful responsiveness stimulates the vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system linked to relaxation and safety.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Salmon Salmon is rich in omega-3 and vitamin D, and helps to stimulate collagen production within the skin.—
Alessandra Signorelli,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Either way, exhausted skin gets a serious pampering session from the cushiony cream’s hydrating hyaluronic acid and soothing bisabolol, plus some reinvigoration from pore-refining, radiance-inducing niacinamide.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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At this roadside stand, soft-serve cones, towering sundaes, and nostalgia-inducing banana splits taste best eaten under string lights in the warm evening air.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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