as in encourages
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 motivates
What motivates you to get out of bed each day—moves you forward—without the inevitability of your mortality?
—
Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
That’s what motivates Mikash on the court.
—Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
What motivates Honnold Those who’ve known Honnold since his early days at Granite Arch, such as Matt McCormick, know a bit about what motivates him.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Noticeable change lower stress and motivates you to keep your space manageable.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 3 Feb. 2026
Basically my loss and family motivates and inspires me to never quit and keep pushing in life.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Her positive attitude is truly contagious, often serving as the catalyst that motivates her peers to engage more deeply with school initiatives.
—Darla Rivera, Oklahoman, 19 Jan. 2026
This is part of what motivates him to keep buying back the block.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
Investigators and Hall’s family hope the release of the photo sparks a memory or motivates someone with information to come forward.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
That’s what motivates Mikash on the court.
—Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
What motivates Honnold Those who’ve known Honnold since his early days at Granite Arch, such as Matt McCormick, know a bit about what motivates him.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Noticeable change lower stress and motivates you to keep your space manageable.
—Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 3 Feb. 2026
Basically my loss and family motivates and inspires me to never quit and keep pushing in life.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Her positive attitude is truly contagious, often serving as the catalyst that motivates her peers to engage more deeply with school initiatives.
—Darla Rivera, Oklahoman, 19 Jan. 2026
This is part of what motivates him to keep buying back the block.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2026
Investigators and Hall’s family hope the release of the photo sparks a memory or motivates someone with information to come forward.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivates
Verb
-
The evening was more about the vibe; Gelman encourages all guests to dress up in fancy cocktail attire.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Perhaps that’s because, unlike other reality dating TV shows like The Bachelor and Love Island, the series encourages frank conversations about politics and social issues that mirror dating in the modern age.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Your starter entices with a spicy-tangy flavor, leading into the classic roasted chicken entree.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
-
While Summer most likely has tonnes of toys and a dog bed, there’s something about cardboard boxes that entices pets.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Said quest forces her to reexamine a revelatory affair with an RAF pilot, and consider how their engagement’s cruel ending set her on the path to a different sort of fulfillment.—
Hayley Maitland,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The precarious state of her mind forces us to question whether Sylvia and Ted are ghosts, hallucinations or literary inventions sprung to life.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Most of the passengers are content to wait for the driver to figure things out, but Folarin persuades a passing truck driver to take him and his sons the rest of the way.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Capability alone no longer persuades buyers who now want proof of systems that work quietly in the background while results take the center stage.—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There’s a lot of fear of China in Japan, economically and militarily, and, even though people understand there’s interdependence between the two countries, Takaichi is seen as being willing to stand up to China, which inspires a kind of nationalism.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Claire Cameron,
Scientific American,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The viral beauty gadget stimulates collagen, boosts circulation, and leaves you with plump, youthful results.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Then, they are manually placed on Multi Electrode Arrays (MEAs), a grid of tiny electrodes on a biocompatible substrate chip that records and stimulates neurons using 32 electrodes grouped into four sets of eight.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Based on the short story written by Manuel Gonzales, The Miniature Wife is a dramedy examining the power (im)balances between spouses after a technological accident induces the ultimate relationship crisis.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Bwiti is an animistic practice in which participants consume iboga, a plant that alters consciousness and induces visions, enabling them to communicate with the spirits.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The aroma of coffee brewing reliably provokes desire.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Deadline can reveal the first trailer for the radical love story revolving around Suzanne and undocumented migrant Osmane, whose relationship provokes a wave of anger and indignation all around them, forcing them to resist.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivates. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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