The meaning of MOTIVATE is to give (someone) a reason for doing something. How to use motivate in a sentence.

MOTIVATE definition: to provide with a motive, or a cause or reason to act; incite; impel. See examples of motivate used in a sentence.

MOTIVATE definition: 1. to cause someone to behave in a particular way: 2. to make someone want to do something well…. Learn more.

If someone motivates you to do something, they make you feel determined to do it. How do you motivate people to work hard and efficiently? [VERB noun to-infinitive] Never let it be said that the manager …

To provide with an incentive or a reason for doing something; impel: What motivated you to get a new job? Their criticism is motivated by jealousy. 2. To cause to be enthusiastic: The coach motivated his …

Definition of motivate verb in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Jan 14, 2026 · motivate (third-person singular simple present motivates, present participle motivating, simple past and past participle motivated) (transitive) To provide someone with an incentive to do …

mo•ti•vate /ˈmoʊtəˌveɪt/ v., -vat•ed, -vat•ing. to provide (someone) with a motive or motives; impel: [~ + object] A good teacher will motivate his or her students. [~ + object + to + verb] The death of his wife …

The verb motivate means to prompt or incite. By giving speeches on college campuses across the country, John F. Kennedy motivated a lot of young people to join the Peace Corps in the early 1960s.

Synonyms for MOTIVATE: encourage, persuade, force, entice, inspire, stimulate, induce, provoke; Antonyms of MOTIVATE: calm, subdue, soothe, appease, placate, pacify, tranquilize, mollify