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
The last step is for that space-faring species to really go for it, sending themselves or their robotic emissaries far and wide, colonizing every available corner of the galaxy, and if they are sufficiently motivated, the Universe.
—
ArsTechnica, 26 Mar. 2025
This denial could be motivated by the fear of admitting the presence of beings more advanced and therefore more powerful than us.
—David Chauvet, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
Similar concerns motivated the Obama administration to pursue the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a high-standard trade agreement negotiated among 12 countries around the Pacific Rim.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
However, the film also remains firmly rooted in the question of what is motivating them to take on this task.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
ArsTechnica, 26 Mar. 2025
This denial could be motivated by the fear of admitting the presence of beings more advanced and therefore more powerful than us.
—David Chauvet, JSTOR Daily, 26 Mar. 2025
Similar concerns motivated the Obama administration to pursue the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a high-standard trade agreement negotiated among 12 countries around the Pacific Rim.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
However, the film also remains firmly rooted in the question of what is motivating them to take on this task.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate
Verb
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To bring in more visitors, Katsuo-ji came up with a creative way to encourage tourists to engage with the Daruma dolls.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
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The frantic trading, which sent stocks spiking before plummeting again, showed how investors are operating on a hair trigger and are eager for any sign of encouraging news.—
Chris Megerian,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Again, this is a case of humans using AI to persuade people to adopt their views rather than an indication that AI is extreme or prone to suggesting extreme ideas and behaviors.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Last week, Meta’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, was at the White House to try to persuade the administration to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust lawsuit against Meta.—
Cecilia Kang,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, no amount of care or good intentions can prevent the sudden demolition of the brothers’ home, courtesy of a vague order from the IDF — for which the family is even forced to pay.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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Due to the alligator's aggressive behavior, Department of Natural Resources contractors were forced to euthanize the reptile and remove it from the area.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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One reason is that in order to entice people to buy its stock, a company needs to offer potential shareholders something in return.—
Jenny Van Leeuwen Harrington,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
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Those touches are some of the reasons that entice fans to buy from brands.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Directed and co-written by Jean-Stéphane Bron, the original and spirited fiction series, the high-stakes real life drama-thriller, is inspired by real life last-chance talks in 2015 between the U.S. and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program, talks held in Geneva.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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The collection’s color palette of taupe, beige and white was inspired by Palazzo Pitti, the Renaissance palace in Florence where Brioni first staged a men’s runway show in 1952.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Access to the leaves will stimulate scientific research that will objectively assess coca’s medical and therapeutic potential and benefits, with the ultimate goal of making available for all people a plant that promises to improve their well-being and ease the day-to-day challenges of their lives.—
Wade Davis,
Rolling Stone,
6 Apr. 2025
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As the moon and Mars collide, rushing toward your future stimulates unnecessary stress.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There are two key mechanisms driving this trend, both induced by humanity’s appetite for fossil fuels.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
5 Apr. 2025
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But in the big market downturn induced by President Trump’s tariffs, no Fed rescue is in sight.—
Jeff Sommer,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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