Examples of motivate in a Sentence
No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
Guerrero suggested that Sheinbaum was motivated in part by scrutiny from the United States.
—
Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Police haven’t said what may have motivated the killing.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2025
Ford says Ellie might have made up those abuse allegations possibly as a way to motivate MacFarlane to kill her father.
—Natalie Morales, Richard Fetzer, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2025
The question of what motivates the turn toward faith documented in the latest data remains open.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
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Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Police haven’t said what may have motivated the killing.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2025
Ford says Ellie might have made up those abuse allegations possibly as a way to motivate MacFarlane to kill her father.
—Natalie Morales, Richard Fetzer, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2025
The question of what motivates the turn toward faith documented in the latest data remains open.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motivate
verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt 
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a reason for doing something : induce
Medical Definition
motivate
transitive verb
mo·ti·vate
ˈmōt-ə-ˌvāt
motivated; motivating
: to provide with a motive or serve as a motive for
motivate patients to change unhealthy lifestyles
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