motivate

1. (transitive) To provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage; to actuate.Examples: "The weekly staff meeting was meant to motivate employees."; "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."Synonyms: drive, spur, abet, actuate, goose, send, sting, bring aboutAntonyms: demotivate, discourage, dissuadetransitive

2. (transitive) To animate; to propel; to cause to take action.Examples: "He was motivated purely by self-interest."; "Steam-motivated pumps are used in manufacturing."Synonyms: drive, move, pushAntonyms: demotivate, halt, stoptransitive