as in diligent
having a strong desire for personal advancement
He was lauded by faculty as an exceptionally hardworking, curious, and motivated student. The company was looking for motivated self-starters to fill the sales position.
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as in encouraged
to rouse to action or activity
The presence of treats motivated the dogs to obey their owner's commands. They drove a campaign to motivate voters to show up to the polls.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivated
Darlene Superville, Fortune, 29 May 2026
The Poison frontman claimed his decision was not politically motivated and that he, too, was misled by organizers.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Maybe the Patriots get a similar bump from Brown, who will absolutely be motivated to prove himself once again.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Adjective
The family was surprised the case went to trial and viewed it as politically motivated.
—Darlene Superville, Fortune, 29 May 2026
The Poison frontman claimed his decision was not politically motivated and that he, too, was misled by organizers.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026
Verb
But the director insists the choice wasn't motivated by a desire to put a new spin on a classic.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Maybe the Patriots get a similar bump from Brown, who will absolutely be motivated to prove himself once again.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivated
Adjective
-
There’s yet another reason to be diligent with your daily SPF.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
14 May 2026
-
In the end, after a monthslong investigation and diligent forensic work, partial remains of 70 of the 110 victims were identified and returned to family members who, to this day, carry the pain of that day in 1996.—
Hank Tester,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
But beyond that, he’s encouraged by the fact that the young creators who’ve already had enormous success online still value the cultural currency of theatrical movies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
The pastor encouraged his community to know that there is courage in choosing not to give up, but instead to search together for the place for them.—
HANNAH RUHOFF,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Platini had star quality, but Infantino was an energetic administrator with a noticeable gift for languages.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
We were joined by İsmet Öztanık, the energetic third-generation hotelier behind the Avantgarde Refined brand, which also includes a sister Bodrum property alongside the family’s larger Avantgarde Collection portfolio.—
Anya von Bremzen,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Today, however, the opposite is true, and they are deliberately displayed as current fashion trends have brought to the surface what was once forced to be hidden.—
Teresa Romero Martínez,
Glamour,
31 May 2026
-
Fueled by large stocks of critically dry vegetation and extreme winds, the fires killed 31 people, destroyed nearly 12,000 homes, and forced over 150,000 evacuations.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
None of those cases involve passengers from the United States; one potential case was later determined to be negative following additional testing.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2026
-
Lee Hong-nae plays Yoon Dong-hyeon, the stubborn and hot-headed military chef who is determined to get out as soon as his military service is up.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Pollock persuaded Cineplex Odeon to invest in the film, limiting Universal’s risk.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
-
Some laughed as their classmates persuaded them.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Winona Fighter quickly made a name for itself with its dynamic live shows and DIY spirit, which attract large crowds and have drawn the attention of the Summer School founders.—
Charlie Vargas,
Daily News,
4 June 2026
-
Around him, Porte’s drums and Martyn’s synths and effects drift and glide; the repetitive structure is reminiscent of club music, but the perpetual slippage signals more dynamic ways of moving.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
More Arsenal fans have searched for the shirt since the parade, with 55 bought from Etsy in the 24 hours after the parade, but the reference is what enticed buyers pre-title win.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
-
Anthropic’s advances in coding and cybersecurity capabilities have rattled markets and also enticed new business customers.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivated. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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