as in diligent
having a strong desire for personal advancement
He was lauded by faculty as an exceptionally hardworking, curious, and motivated student. The company was looking for motivated self-starters to fill the sales position.
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as in encouraged
to rouse to action or activity
The presence of treats motivated the dogs to obey their owner's commands. They drove a campaign to motivate voters to show up to the polls.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivated
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
The race for minority whip became heated on social media in recent days, but Anderson said her decision to speak out wasn’t politically motivated.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 July 2025
Jodie Cook, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Portage Police said their initial investigation showed the shooting may have been motivated by romantic rivalry.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Adjective
Albanese's work, which includes accusations of genocide against Israel, has drawn fierce criticism from U.S. officials and allies who view her reports as biased and politically motivated.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
The race for minority whip became heated on social media in recent days, but Anderson said her decision to speak out wasn’t politically motivated.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 July 2025
Verb
Their biggest obstacles include [list obstacles] and they're motivated by [describe what drives them].
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Portage Police said their initial investigation showed the shooting may have been motivated by romantic rivalry.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivated
Adjective
-
The 12-year-old gets the award for most diligent gardener.—
Caleb Harris,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
-
But this doesn’t look like a diligent, open-minded search for the truth.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
26 July 2025
Verb
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Before the Democratic National Convention in 1912, McCombs encouraged prominent journalists and editors to write articles supportive of Wilson's nomination.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
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The party has dismissed the raucous town halls in conservative districts as the work of liberal activist groups, which have encouraged people to flood public forums in an attempt to highlight frustrations with the administration.—
Riley Beggin,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Together, the data reveals different layers of the galaxy's structure and energetic processes, highlighted by bright gold light in the image.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
24 July 2025
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The image of a tiny hamster running endlessly on a spinning wheel has become an iconic part of owning these small, energetic animals.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Despite low turnout thus far, Morales is determined to make this work.—
Melinda Moore,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Aug. 2025
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Angela Craig lost brain activity on March 15 but wasn’t clinically determined brain dead until March 18, according to testimony from Aurora Police Department Detective Bobbi Jo Olson.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Verb
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Our publicist persuaded the New York Times to do an article on the hundredth anniversary of La Bohème and its staying power as reflected by Rent.—
Jeffrey Seller,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Convinced that sunken treasures were hidden beneath what was about to become three high-rise buildings, the amateur river detectives donned hard hats and persuaded a backhoe operator to let them onto the site.—
Kinsey Gidick,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Another backed her up by addressing the apartment dynamic.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, the dynamic second baseman who spent 15 of his 16 major-league seasons with the Cubs, passed away at age 65 following a battle with prostate cancer.—
Grace Miserocchi,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
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If Brown is enticed by the chance to see that through, the Chiefs can take advantage and alleviate some of the risk by luring him with some incentives based on playing time.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2025
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With more cap space leaguewide than expected, Zucker may be enticed by the idea of hitting free agency coming off a career year.—
Matthew Fairburn,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The tournament drew crowds from across Gauteng, eager to witness high-intensity action from top teams battling for the R500,000 winner-takes-all prize.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
27 July 2025
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The historic Civil War fort opens its rooms, galleries, and grounds to visitors eager to learn about life as a Union soldier.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivated. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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