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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Example Sentences
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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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On April 5, disenfranchised Americans are being encouraged to protest the Trump administration's policies as part of a national movement in myriad cities, hosted by a group of older Americans called Third Act.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
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Trump argued the tariffs would encourage foreign car producers to move production into the United States and boost jobs in the long run.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The two-day violence was a major setback in Damascus’ efforts to improve its image and persuade Europe and the United States to lift economic sanctions after over a decade of conflict.—
Omar Albam and Kareem Chehayeb,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2025
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Grant said despite the financial and efficiency gains AI can offer organizations, persuading leadership to spend major dollars on such initiatives can still prove trying.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Knicks rank second in turnovers forced per game and fifth in points scored off turnovers.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
19 Mar. 2025
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Experts have said rising vacancy levels had forced landlords to accept less in rent, but the fires wiped away thousands of homes, suddenly thrusting many people into the rental market.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Numerous observers believe the Bay Area could begin to see an economic lift from the rush into artificial intelligence, a fledgling field that has enticed investors and fueled startup activity.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2025
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And there are plenty of people out there to entice, given that the majority of Americans these days aren’t regular moviegoers.—
William Earl,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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
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The styles are inspired by the Art Deco period, as well as the American Southwest, which can be seen in the bold designs that veer on modernity while still being classic.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Enhance Elasticity Enhances elasticity by deeply nourishing the skin and stimulating collagen production, which helps improve firmness and resilience.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
21 Mar. 2025
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The exercise plate is designed to stimulate muscle contractions and boost your circulation, while also enhancing your mobility and balance.—
Christopher Murray,
Fox News,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Labor leaders also stressed that as unfree people, contract workers did not come to the U.S. voluntarily; instead they were induced to migrate by capitalists.—
Made by History,
Time,
26 Mar. 2025
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Only four relievers last season induced a higher whiff percentage than Adam, who has the stuff to close games if the Padres end up trading Suarez.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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