motivate
8 synonyms and 3 antonyms for motivate, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To give someone a reason or incentive to act; to inspire them into action.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use motivate
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
motivate employees
motivate a team
hard to motivate
Etymology
From motive + the verb-forming suffix -ate, ultimately from Latin movēre ("to move").
Full origin of motivate →Frequently asked questions
What does “motivate” mean?
The word “motivate” means to give someone a reason or incentive to act; to inspire them into action. In plain terms, to give someone a reason or push to do something.
How do you pronounce “motivate”?
“Motivate” is pronounced MOH-tih-vayt (/ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “motivate” in a sentence?
Here is “motivate” used in a sentence: “A good bonus scheme can motivate a whole sales team.”
What part of speech is “motivate”?
“Motivate” is a verb.
Where does the word “motivate” come from?
The word “motivate” comes from Latin. From motive + the verb-forming suffix -ate, ultimately from Latin movēre ("to move").
Is “motivate” a common word?
“Motivate” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between motivate and inspire?
Motivate means to give someone a reason or incentive to act, often tied to a specific goal or reward, while inspire more often refers to stirring emotion or creativity without necessarily pointing to a concrete incentive. The two overlap heavily, but motivate leans toward practical drive to act, and inspire leans toward emotional or creative influence.
What is the difference between motivate and encourage?
Motivate means to give someone a reason or incentive to act, while encourage means to give someone confidence or support to continue doing something they may already be doing. Motivation often supplies the initial push, whereas encouragement sustains effort already underway.
Can motivate be used with a person as the object, as in "motivate him"?
Yes, motivate is a transitive verb that takes a person as its direct object, as in "motivate him to study" or "motivate the team." It is commonly followed by an infinitive phrase describing the action the person is being inspired to take.
