Word
motivate
Phoneticsmo·ti·vate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmoʊtəˌveɪt/
UK/mˈəʊtɪvˌeɪt/
Definitions
01to encourage someone
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make someone want to do something, especially something that involves hard work.
v. to provide someone with a motive or incentive for doing something; to inspire or encourage a specific behaviour.
日本語:刺激する※
Español:motivar
“The coach gave a speech to motivate the team before the final game.”
“A good manager knows how to motivate their staff by recognising individual achievements rather than just focusing on quarterly targets.”
Usage
Often used in the passive voice to describe a person's state of mind, as in 'highly motivated'.
Pitfall
The teacher motivated to the students.
The teacher motivated the students.
The verb 'motivate' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.
Antonyms
02to be the reason for
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to be the reason why someone does something.
v. to serve as the underlying cause or reason for a particular action or decision.
“The desire to help people is what motivates her to work as a nurse.”
“The investigators struggled to determine what had motivated the suspect to commit such a public crime without any apparent financial gain.”
Usage
Frequently used in psychological or legal contexts to explain the 'why' behind a behaviour.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “motivate” in context.
Adverb
01. highly motivate
“The new bonus scheme is designed to highly motivate the sales team to reach their targets.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“Anderson says much of his work involving clay deposits was originally motivated by the search for life on other planets.” “We are typically motivated to engage with things that support these needs, which in turn has a positive impact on our mental health and well-being.” “In this study, not only were the students already highly motivated and had good study skills, but the AI tutor was built by the same professors who taught the course.” “It's possible the people who join are already strongly motivated by the religion.” Etymology
From motive + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French motiver.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/motivate
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0