motivate
/ˈməʊtɪveɪt
/verb [with object]
1Provide (someone) with a reason for doing something: he was primarily motivated by the desire for profit...
- The most common reason motivating women to take hormone replacement therapy is the relief of menopausal symptoms.
- No single reason motivates young men and women to enlist in the armed forces, but a great many do it because they believe they will obtain job training and financial aid for college.
- If patients are to be expected to take part in research for altruistic reasons they have a right to know what reasons motivate the people carrying out the research.
Synonyms
prompt, drive, move, inspire, stimulate, influence, lead, persuade, actuate, activate, impel, push, propel, spur (on);
provoke, trigger, cause, bring about, occasion, induce, incite
1.1Cause (someone) to have interest in or enthusiasm for something: it is the teacher’s job to motivate the child at school...
- And at 65, he still thinks and acts like a youngster with boundless energy and enthusiasm motivating people like him to ‘stay young and help each other’.
- Your interest can motivate her to stay on and take exams.
- ‘She has certainly done an outstanding job of organizing and motivating people and thinking of details and taking care of those details,’ he said.
Synonyms
inspire, stimulate, encourage, spur (on), galvanize, arouse, rouse, excite, stir (up), fire with enthusiasm, fire the imagination of
rare inspirit, incentivize
2South African Request (something) and present facts and arguments in support of one’s request: he said he would motivate funds to upgrade the food stalls...
- Members of Navachab's management team were instrumental in motivating the project to the Fund.
- He motivated his request by telling me that neither trust had any assets and that they served no purpose any longer.
- Applicants must appear before an administrative body to motivate their application for the license.