motivator

noun

mo·​ti·​va·​tor ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tər 

plural motivators

: one that motivates or impels someone or something

a subconscious motivator of behavior

: such as

a

: a factor or situation that causes people to feel motivated to do something : incentive

Only a fool, though, would deny that money is a very real and basic need and, of course, a motivator of sorts.

—Robert W. Corl

Exercising with someone else … can be a motivator.

—Joanne Lannin

Andre Harris, without basketball as a motivator, had slipped back into bad habits academically.

—John Feinstein

b

: a person who motivates others

But Romo's not an enabler; he's a motivator, says [Jessica] Simpson. "If I'm not feeling good about myself, he'll say, 'Get your butt up and go to the gym then!'"

—Michelle Tan

Examples of motivator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Prices and economic growth were also a major motivator for the voters who sent Trump back to the White House for a second term. —Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025

Non-work ambitions served as a motivator, driving him to rise to the challenge of meeting them, including through work. —Aliza Knox, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Redshirt senior running back Jakobi Jackson said the pro-day performances serves as a huge motivator, especially for the 2026 draft-eligible players on the roster. —Jackson Castellano, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2025

While concerns about school environments and educational quality remain primary motivators, homeschooling's standout appeal is its ability to adapt education to each child's unique learning style. —Sarah Hernholm, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above