Examples of motivate in a Sentence
No one knows what motivated him to act in such a violent way.
Recent Examples on the Web
When Rosie’s was first named a Bib Gourmand in 2023 — the designation means a restaurant serves good food at approachable prices — West said the praise motivated his team.
—
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024
Share [Findings] Psychopaths recommend harsher punishments for homicides, whether accidental or motivated by profit, but exhibit relatively low concern about killing in general.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024
But many of the best works—whether a thought-provoking essay, a bizarre TikTok video, or meticulous hiking directions—are motivated by the desire to connect with a human audience, to have an effect on others.
—Judith Donath, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2024
Their interest helps drive the popularity of different clubs and leagues, bringing legions of supporters to stadiums and motivating players.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 20 Apr. 2024
Lawyer was motivated to kill O’Tishae Womack in part by an attempt to silence her, the state alleges.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
This golden spike identifies a global time plane, but the planetary transition that motivates the placement of a golden spike can be anything but simple.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Many raised concerns about the shooting being racially motivated, and voiced outrage over gun violence and inequality in the criminal justice system.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2024
At this point, Trump is used to the halls of Manhattan courthouses as an extension of his campaign trail to protest the charges and motivate his base.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024
Share [Findings] Psychopaths recommend harsher punishments for homicides, whether accidental or motivated by profit, but exhibit relatively low concern about killing in general.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024
But many of the best works—whether a thought-provoking essay, a bizarre TikTok video, or meticulous hiking directions—are motivated by the desire to connect with a human audience, to have an effect on others.
—Judith Donath, The Atlantic, 22 Apr. 2024
Their interest helps drive the popularity of different clubs and leagues, bringing legions of supporters to stadiums and motivating players.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 20 Apr. 2024
Lawyer was motivated to kill O’Tishae Womack in part by an attempt to silence her, the state alleges.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
This golden spike identifies a global time plane, but the planetary transition that motivates the placement of a golden spike can be anything but simple.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2024
Many raised concerns about the shooting being racially motivated, and voiced outrage over gun violence and inequality in the criminal justice system.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2024
At this point, Trump is used to the halls of Manhattan courthouses as an extension of his campaign trail to protest the charges and motivate his base.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motivate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near motivate
Cite this Entry
“Motivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivate. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
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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