motivate

American

[moh-tuh-veyt] / ˈmoʊ təˌveɪt /

verb (used with object)

motivated, motivating

to provide with a motive, or a cause or reason to act; incite; impel.

Synonyms:

cause, prompt, provoke, move, induce

motivate British

/ ˈməʊtɪˌveɪt /

verb

(tr) to give incentive to

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

demotivate verb (used with object)
motivator noun
nonmotivated adjective
remotivate verb (used with object)
unmotivated adjective
unmotivating adjective
well-motivated adjective

Etymology

Origin of motivate

First recorded in 1860–65; motive + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He says the hope it engenders can not only help people cope emotionally with a cancer diagnosis but can even motivate them to seek treatment.

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

Campaigns set the per-signature price to motivate collectors, and the price tends to rise as the ballot deadline approaches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

Only a call from a persistent lawyer might motivate officers to actually find those items and return them by mail.

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026

But instead of succumbing to the pressure, she lets it motivate her.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

“What are you going to motivate people to do?”

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023