as in motivational
serving or likely to arouse action or activity
The biggest motivating factor behind her decision to change jobs was the pay increase. The positive feedback he received was very motivating.
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as in encouraging
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivating
Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
The other two, Troy Terry and Lukáš Dostál, both signed long deals (seven and five years, respectively) as RFAs without requiring a holdout, though both had the exigency of arbitration eligibility motivating a swifter resolution.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
These visual materials are highly motivating for those who are in the decision-making process and directly reveal Smile Hair Clinic’s expertise.
—Wyles Daniel, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Many Democrats were concerned that the language about Kirk, widely respected in conservative circles for his efforts at motivating younger voters to participate in the political system, went too far as casting him as a unifier.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The vendetta here wasn’t just against dance music above 120 BPM; real and projected fears about drug use and rape were motivating factors.
—Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
The six-time champion has become known for his constructive critiques, while also focusing on motivating both the celebrities and professional dancers.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Yet becoming a priest was sacred, motivating Tormenta to hide his wrestling identity.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
His mother allegedly told law enforcement that those changing views did appear to be a motivating factor behind shooting Kirk, who regularly attacked the trans community online and on his podcast.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
The other two, Troy Terry and Lukáš Dostál, both signed long deals (seven and five years, respectively) as RFAs without requiring a holdout, though both had the exigency of arbitration eligibility motivating a swifter resolution.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
These visual materials are highly motivating for those who are in the decision-making process and directly reveal Smile Hair Clinic’s expertise.
—Wyles Daniel, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Many Democrats were concerned that the language about Kirk, widely respected in conservative circles for his efforts at motivating younger voters to participate in the political system, went too far as casting him as a unifier.
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The vendetta here wasn’t just against dance music above 120 BPM; real and projected fears about drug use and rape were motivating factors.
—Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
The six-time champion has become known for his constructive critiques, while also focusing on motivating both the celebrities and professional dancers.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Yet becoming a priest was sacred, motivating Tormenta to hide his wrestling identity.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivating
Adjective
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When to go foam-at-the-mouth intense and when to tug on heartstrings with one of her motivational speeches.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
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The pair first met during a brief encounter at an awards show in 2012, but didn’t become acquainted until 2019 after the were both booked as speakers at an event in Florida organized by motivational speaker Tony Robbins.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The immediacy and interactivity of social media platforms amplified the outrage, encouraging group mobilization.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
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By encouraging curiosity, leaders and employees can move beyond surface-level use and unlock the full potential of the tools around them.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Within days of Cracker Barrel’s decision to ditch Uncle Herschel, the company’s market cap had shed $143 million, 15% of its value, forcing it to reinstate its old branding and pause plans to remodel Cracker Barrel locations.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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The current administration will continue to target DEI programs, forcing practitioners to stay vigilent and creative about their approaches to DEI.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rather than recognizing the change as inspiring, the stagnant partner may perceive it as judgment, even if the growth is communicated without criticism.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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In addition to the performances, the show will spotlight inspiring stories of resilience and service by members of the military, while raising awareness and critical funds for the foundation.—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Nutrients from the Orinoco Delta make the waters particularly enticing to marine life and also help the island’s barrel sponges grow especially huge.—
Terry Ward,
AFAR Media,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For many owners, the nightly ritual of persuading a pet to leave the bed is an ongoing negotiation—one that frequently ends with the animal winning.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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The network seemed to have trouble persuading actual stars to perform.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Produced from the Montepulciano grape, this is among the most flavorful and stimulating examples of rosé made today.—
Tom Hyland,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Some mobiles do play soothing music, but the music will probably not be enough to calm your baby if the objects above them are still stimulating.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivating. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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