motivated

adjective

mo·​ti·​vat·​ed ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-təd How to pronounce motivated (audio)
: 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
In 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

Examples of motivated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Conversely, when dopamine levels are balanced, individuals are more motivated, energized and capable of sustained attention. Raquel Gomes, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025 The New York man charged with what police said was a racially motivated attack of a Black hotel clerk in Mystic nearly four years ago has filed a lawsuit seeking $500,000 from his former lawyers. Greg Smith, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2025 Negotiate with the seller A motivated seller may offer incentives to get a deal to the finish line. Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Tehran has long argued that U.S. sanctions are unjustified and politically motivated. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for motivated

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivated was in 1903

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Cite this Entry

“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivated. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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