motivation

noun

mo·​ti·​va·​tion ˌmō-tə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce motivation (audio)
1
a
: 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 warRichard Humble
The fear of failure was the motivation for his achievements.
motivational adjective
motivationally adverb

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 Especially on days when the weather is gloomy or my motivation is low, just wanting to get some miles in isn’t always enough to get me out there. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 22 Mar. 2024 Whatever the motivation, what lingers is an urge to question reality, misinformation experts say. Tiffany Hsu, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Among the primary motivations of gossiping is often a desire to make sense of one’s environment, and to gain a better understanding of different personalities and the dynamics of various social settings. Ryan MacAsero, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024 The filmmakers lacked the confidence to portray faithfully the religious motivations of a great saint. Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 17 Mar. 2024 My main motivation was to live a longer and healthier life for her. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 Sweet as the picture was, something possibly ghoulish haunted the motivations behind its publication. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024 The sender’s motivations are different, too: With a large audience, one’s reputation is always on the line; an error or poor performance can damage social standing with large numbers of peers. Jonathan Haidt, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2024 In fact, selfish motivation is correlated with poor psychological well-being, physical health, and relationships. Talia Varley, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motivation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivation was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near motivation

Cite this Entry

“Motivation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

motivation

noun
mo·​ti·​va·​tion ˌmōt-ə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce motivation (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of motivating
b
: the condition of being motivated
2
: a motivating force or influence : incentive

Medical Definition

motivation

noun
mo·​ti·​va·​tion ˌmōt-ə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce motivation (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of motivating
b
: the condition of being motivated
2
: a motivating force, stimulus, or influence (as a drive or incentive)
lacks the motivation to lose weight
motivational adjective
motivationally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on motivation

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