motivation

mo·ti·va·tion | \ ˌmō-tə-ˈvā-shən

Definition of motivation

1a : the act or process of motivating Some students need motivation to help them through school.

b : the condition of being motivated employees who lack motivation

2 : a motivating force, stimulus, or influence : incentive, drive the Old Testament heroes added religious motivation to the waging of war— Richard Humble The fear of failure was the motivation for his achievements.

Other Words from motivation Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about motivation

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Examples of motivation in a Sentence

Some students need motivation to help them through school. Many people have questioned her motivations in choosing to run for office at this time.

Recent Examples on the Web Tolland came into the game with on-field and off-field motivation. — Shawn Mcfarland, courant.com, "High school football: Newcomers step up as an undermanned Berlin squad edges Tolland 14-8," 13 Sep. 2019 Different strokes for different folks Inherent to all these efforts is a key recognition: players can have very different motivations for playing games. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Every game should copy Death Stranding’s “Very Easy Mode”," 13 Sep. 2019 But no one has any direct knowledge about Johnson’s motivation. — Rashmee Roshan Lall, Quartz, "Only Plato can explain the confusion over Brexit in the UK’s highest courts," 13 Sep. 2019 For impressionable young troublemakers, the film must have seemed like a how-to manual for perpetrating anarchy: both The Narrator and Durden speak directly to the camera at times, explaining their techniques and motivations. — N.e.g., The Economist, "“Fight Club” presaged the darker corners of the internet," 10 Sep. 2019 Those sounds helped lead rescuers to the right place on the 656-foot vessel and provided motivation. — Jeff Amy And Stephen Morton, chicagotribune.com, "Coast Guard rescuers pull 4 trapped crewman alive from cargo ship that capsized off Georgia coast," 9 Sep. 2019 Outlook: After a trip to the state final in 2017 and semifinals in 2018, the Owls enter 2019 with motivation to add a championship. — Pat Stoetzer, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "2019 Volleyball Preview Capsules," 6 Sep. 2019 There’s no motivation like a deadline, and several candidates are putting out climate plans ahead of today’s forum. — Mark K. Matthews, Scientific American, "Five Things to Watch During CNN’s Climate Forum," 4 Sep. 2019 Fleck dove into the 2008 film 'The Dark Night' for motivation to kick off 2019, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune's Megan Ryan. — Michael Shapiro, SI.com, "PJ Fleck Hands Out Batman Pez Dispensers, Wants Players to Emulate Dark Night," 3 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'motivation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.