English Meaning & Definitions
To provide someone with a reason for doing something; to inspire, stimulate, or enthuse.
- “The coach gave an inspiring speech to motivate the team before the big game.”
- “A good manager knows how to motivate employees to reach their full potential.”
To be the driving force behind an action, thought, or behavior.
- “Curiosity is what motivates her to explore new scientific frontiers.”
- “Financial gain was the primary factor that motivated the investment.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “motivate”.
Derived from the Latin 'motivus' (moving, impelling), from 'movere' (to move). It entered the English language in the early 19th century as a back-formation from 'motivation', initially meaning to provide with a motive or incentive to act.
Think of 'motion' + 'activate'—to motivate someone is to activate them into motion.
Frequently Asked Questions About “motivate”
1. What is the meaning of “motivate” in English?
In English, motivate (verb) is defined as: “To provide someone with a reason for doing something; to inspire, stimulate, or enthuse.”.
2. How do you use “motivate” in a sentence?
“The coach gave an inspiring speech to motivate the team before the big game.”
3. What are English synonyms of “motivate”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “motivate”?
Derived from the Latin 'motivus' (moving, impelling), from 'movere' (to move). It entered the English language in the early 19th century as a back-formation from 'motivation', initially meaning to provide with a motive or incentive to act.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.