Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb motivate

1 sense of motivate

Sense 1
motivate, actuate, propel, move, prompt, incite -- (give an incentive for action; "This moved me to sacrifice my career")
       => cause, do, make -- (give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally; "cause a commotion"; "make a stir"; "cause an accident")