A vibration wave motor includes a driven body, a vibrator including an annular vibration plate and an annular piezoelectric element, and a vibration damping member, which are arranged in sequence, wherein the vibration plate has, on a side facing the driven body, radially extending groove portions at X places, and, when center depths of the groove portions at X places are sequentially denoted by D1 to DX in a circumferential direction, D1 to DX vary along a curve obtained by superposing one or more sine waves, and wherein the vibration plate is locally supported by the vibration damping member in some or all antinode portions of a standing wave occurring when the vibration wave motor is driven.