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

Clean early, keep supplies handy, focus on busy spots, and use short timers to stay motivated. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 21 June 2026

This improves retention, strengthens company culture and helps employees feel valued and motivated. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

What works for helping one kid calm down or stay motivated will not work for another. — Melissa Willets, Parents, 18 June 2026

On social media in April, Escobar expressed disappointment that he was not reinstated, pointing out that he was not found to have misused funds and claiming that the case against him was politically motivated. — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 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