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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Lions ripped off four straight victories until last week’s loss at Kansas City and now return home highly motivated to put that frustrating defeat behind them. Mike Jones, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025 Before the season started, Roberts laid out the long-term goals for the ball club and explained how the team could remain motivated. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 Prosecutors said the six, all Bulgarian nationals, were financially motivated and did not report directly to Russian intelligence. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025 Miami is roughly a two-touchdown favorite but beware a tough test from a motivated L’Ville. Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivated. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on motivated

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!