motivator
noun
mo·ti·va·tor
ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-tər 
plural motivators
a
: a factor or situation that causes people to feel motivated to do something : incentive
Only a fool, though, would deny that money is a very real and basic need and, of course, a motivator of sorts.—
Robert W. Corl
Robert W. CorlExercising with someone else … can be a motivator.—Joanne Lannin
Joanne LanninAndre Harris, without basketball as a motivator, had slipped back into bad habits academically.—John Feinstein
John Feinstein
b
: a person who motivates others
But Romo's not an enabler; he's a motivator, says [Jessica] Simpson. "If I'm not feeling good about myself, he'll say, 'Get your butt up and go to the gym then!'"—Michelle Tan
Michelle TanExamples of motivator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Luxury motivations, like going out to nice dinners, shopping, and taking expensive vacations, were also rated as highly important–while other traditional relationship expectations, like finding a long-term romantic partner and supporting children, were rated as less important motivators.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
This strategy, often overlooked by other firms, serves as a powerful motivator for insurance companies who know GGL is ready to go the distance.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Despite their prevalence in the political arena, strategists say the question of whether these issues will be major motivators for the upcoming election remains unanswered.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
Social accountability — not wanting to seem like a flake — can be a powerful motivator.
—Danielle Friedman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024
Schneider noted that two primary motivators for cruising are destinations and food.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2024
That makes culture-war issues more useful as political motivators, so candidates use them more.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Despite Dunst’s frustration over the salary gap, money wasn’t — and isn’t — a big motivator for her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Security concerns were a top motivator for the group, says IATSE Local B-192 secretary/treasurer Cat Hutchinson, who has led Dodger Stadium tours for 10 years.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024
Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2024
This strategy, often overlooked by other firms, serves as a powerful motivator for insurance companies who know GGL is ready to go the distance.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Despite their prevalence in the political arena, strategists say the question of whether these issues will be major motivators for the upcoming election remains unanswered.
—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
Social accountability — not wanting to seem like a flake — can be a powerful motivator.
—Danielle Friedman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2024
Schneider noted that two primary motivators for cruising are destinations and food.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2024
That makes culture-war issues more useful as political motivators, so candidates use them more.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2024
Despite Dunst’s frustration over the salary gap, money wasn’t — and isn’t — a big motivator for her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Security concerns were a top motivator for the group, says IATSE Local B-192 secretary/treasurer Cat Hutchinson, who has led Dodger Stadium tours for 10 years.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motivator.' 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 motivator
Cite this Entry
“Motivator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivator. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share