motivate
English
Etymology
From motive + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French motiver.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈməʊ.tɪ.veɪt/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - (US) IPA(key): /ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪt/, /ˈmoʊ.təˌveɪt/
Verb
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 something; to encourage; to actuate.
- Synonyms: drive, spur; see also Thesaurus:incite
- Antonyms: demotivate, discourage, dissuade
- The weekly staff meeting was meant to motivate employees.
- 2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 17:51 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN)[1], archived from the original on 17 October 2022:
- Armor-piercing shells were heading up the shell hoists, but this procedure took a few minutes, allowing the battered American flagship to reply in kind, the gunners somewhat motivated to set new records for the rate of fire as the cruiser raked the larger ship from stem to stern in response.
- (transitive) To animate; to propel; to cause to take action.
Related terms
Translations
to encourage
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Italian
Etymology 1
Adjective
motivate f pl
- feminine plural of motivato
Participle
motivate f pl
- feminine plural of motivato
Etymology 2
Verb
motivate
- inflection of motivare:
- second-person plural present indicative
- second-person plural imperative
Anagrams
Spanish
Verb
motivate