motivated
adjective
mo·ti·vat·ed
ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-təd 
: provided with a motive : having an incentive or a strong desire to do well or succeed in some pursuit
a motivated employee
Courses are being offered on college campuses for those who are highly motivated but who without such help often drop out and are lost to society and themselves.—
Carol Kort
Carol KortIn a sporting context, for example, athletes who consistently seem to play hard and rarely concede defeat are often described as highly motivated or "competitive" by the media.—Robert C. Eklund
Robert C. EklundExamples of motivated in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Suu Kyi is currently serving a 27-year prison term on charges widely seen as bogus and politically motivated.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Dec. 2025
Steven Garcia/Getty Images Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed at their home in a politically-motivated attack … one in a number of recent acts of political violence.
—Jane Pauley, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Supporting your teen with structure, rest, and encouragement can help ease burnout and keep them motivated through the final stretch.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 28 Dec. 2025
There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.
—Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivated
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Arkansas Online, 28 Dec. 2025
Steven Garcia/Getty Images Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed at their home in a politically-motivated attack … one in a number of recent acts of political violence.
—Jane Pauley, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Supporting your teen with structure, rest, and encouragement can help ease burnout and keep them motivated through the final stretch.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 28 Dec. 2025
There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.
—Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Cite this Entry
“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivated. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
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