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
We will certainly be motivated and remain motivated.
—
Ryan Canfield, Fox News, 18 Feb. 2025
Only notes that receive upvotes from a politically diverse set of users are prominently displayed But Weyl argues platform companies are motivated by more than just their bottom line.
—Tharin Pillay, TIME, 18 Feb. 2025
In 2020, after a monthslong media blitz incorrectly labeling Blagojevich’s prosecution politically motivated, Republican President Donald Trump commuted the Democratic ex-governor’s 14-year sentence, springing him from prison five years early.
—Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
A certain televangelist will sell you magical healing water to motivate God’s power.
—Lynne Silva-Breen, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivate
Verb
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Provide opportunities for professional growth, encourage open feedback, and show appreciation for hard work.—
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Applications encouraged from people of color, women, and/or veterans 5.—
Verb
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McCafferty wasn’t persuaded by the state’s arguments, which concerned player safety and integrity of the sport.—
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To accomplish that, the farmers had to persuade their clients to embrace a new aesthetic: less polished and more primal, twining and frondy, founded on blossoms that might be too lush and soft to endure weeks of refrigerated storage but could be guaranteed to look and smell like nothing else.—
Verb
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With three Oilers hustling to get back to defend the rush after Couturier forced a neutral-zone turnover, Michkov feathered a backhand to the front of the net through a maze of sticks to Tippett, who chipped it in.—
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Image In recent weeks, President Trump has begun carrying out his plan for mass deportations across the nation, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents forcing undocumented immigrants back to their countries of origin.—
Verb
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Trying to keep up with breakneck advances in medical technology and the demands of a public troubled by additives like food dyes, the agency enticed scores of midcareer specialists with remote roles and the chance to make a difference in their fields.—
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The Libra moon entices you to entertain fresh options.—
Verb
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Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple.—
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The warm earth tone was inspired by the sands found in California’s deserts, according to the automaker, and is accentuated by Rivian’s Darkout Package.—
Verb
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The other key plot point is Farrah’s use of stroboscopic light therapy to stimulate brain activity and neural responses.—
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Avoid stimulating activities before bedtime, and there should be no exposure to electronic devices emitting blue light.—
Verb
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In the nascent field of AI hacking, indirect prompt injection has become a basic building block for inducing chatbots to exfiltrate sensitive data or perform other malicious actions.—
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Every inch of The White Lotus’s Thailand resort induces a mix of envious longing and burbling queasiness.—
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivate. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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