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

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

Many drug companies weren’t motivated to come up with alternatives because of the lengthy timelines required to prove a benefit. —Charles Schmidt, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026

This 9+1 program helps local New Yorkers qualify and filters out wealthy people who have minimal free time—or can spend their free time on expensive diversions—all while helping new runners train and stay motivated. —Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 17 Mar. 2026

Sarkozy has denied wrongdoing and suggested the accusations were politically motivated. —ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026

Leaders also say the model works best for students who are self-motivated and comfortable working independently. —Erika Gonzalez, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing motivated

• self-motivated

Rhymes for motivated

• abdicated
• abrogated
• acclimated
• activated
• actuated
• adumbrated
• advocated
• aggravated
• aggregated
• agitated
• allocated
• alternated