motivate

verb

mo·​ti·​vate ˈmō-tə-ˌvāt How to pronounce motivate (audio)
motivated; motivating
Synonyms of motivate

transitive verb

1
: to give (someone) a reason for doing something
questions that excite and motivate youth
She was motivated by a desire to help children.
2
: to be a reason for something
said that money did not motivate their decision
motivative
ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tiv How to pronounce motivate (audio)
adjective

Examples of motivate in a Sentence

No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even so, the comparatively young, who are motivated more by the prospect of becoming the next leader than by simply retaining their current privileges, will have the advantage. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026 Arguably the highest-profile contract cancellation for Flock came when the Los Angeles Police Department decided to non-renew its years-long contract with the company, a decision motivated by a searing internal audit of the company’s technology. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026 Lucy Tobier Braun suggested potential legal challenges to his ability to extend the gas tax pause by attributing it to a new cause would be politically motivated. — Lucy Tobier, IndyStar, 6 Aug. 2026 Geminis are known to plant seeds that can frustrate or motivate; in this case, Paige intentionally does both. — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for motivate

Word History

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivate was in 1794

Rhymes for motivate

See All Rhymes for motivate

Browse Nearby Words

motitation
motivate
motivated
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

motivate

verb
mo·​ti·​vate ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce motivate (audio)
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a reason for doing something : induce

Medical Definition

motivate

transitive verb
mo·​ti·​vate ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt How to pronounce motivate (audio)
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a motive or serve as a motive for
motivate patients to change unhealthy lifestyles
motivative
-ˌvāt-iv How to pronounce motivate (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on motivate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for motivate

Nglish: Translation of motivate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All