motivate
Translation
to motivate, to inspire, to encourage
Examples
Good teachers know how to motivate their students.
Good teachers know how to motivate their students.
What motivates people to work hard?
What motivates people to work hard?
Grammar Patterns
((sb.)) ((to-inf)) to make (sb.) want to do (sth.) His speech motivated me to try harder.
((sb.)) to encourage (sb.) The coach knows how to motivate the team.
Similar Words
Synonyms: inspire, encourage, stimulate; Antonyms: demotivate, discourage
Etymology
From Latin 'motivus', meaning 'moving'. The root 'mot-' means 'to move'.
Memory Tips
Think of a 'motive' as the reason to 'move' or act. To 'motivate' is to give someone a motive.