plural motivators
: one that motivates or impels someone or something
a subconscious motivator of behavior
: such as
a
: a factor or situation that causes people to feel motivated to do something : incentive
Only a fool, though, would deny that money is a very real and basic need and, of course, a motivator of sorts.Robert W. Corl
Exercising with someone else … can be a motivator.Joanne Lannin
Andre Harris, without basketball as a motivator, had slipped back into bad habits academically.John Feinstein
b
: a person who motivates others
… won a reputation as a leader and a motivatorLeonard Silk
But Romo's not an enabler; he's a motivator, says [Jessica] Simpson. "If I'm not feeling good about myself, he'll say, 'Get your butt up and go to the gym then!'"Michelle Tan

Examples of motivator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Food has become a major travel motivator in its own right. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026 The awareness of economic costs is a good motivator for change. Rachel Braun Scherl, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 But for the hip-hop titan, their longstanding feud wasn’t the sole motivator behind the film. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 3 June 2026 Geiger, a George Mason recruit, confirmed that Urban can be a top-notch motivator. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for motivator

Word History

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivator was in 1918

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Cite this Entry

“Motivator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivator. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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