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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of motivated
Juan Sebastián Chamarro, National Review, 8 June 2025
And there’s motivated software firms ready to teach the deep technical skills required in marketing, sales and customer success.
—Stephen Diorio, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Jodie Cook, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Portage Police said their initial investigation showed the shooting may have been motivated by romantic rivalry.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Adjective
Nicaragua, under the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo, is a clear example of the politically motivated use of migration by an autocratic regime.
—Juan Sebastián Chamarro, National Review, 8 June 2025
And there’s motivated software firms ready to teach the deep technical skills required in marketing, sales and customer success.
—Stephen Diorio, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
Verb
Their biggest obstacles include [list obstacles] and they're motivated by [describe what drives them].
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Portage Police said their initial investigation showed the shooting may have been motivated by romantic rivalry.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivated
Adjective
-
Clark said locally, at San Dimas’ Via Verde Country Club and Pomona’s Mountain Meadows Golf Course, Spaun is remembered as a diligent kid who put in a lot of time working on his game.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Oc Register,
16 June 2025
-
The only way to avoid False Dividend Stocks is with diligent fundamental research on cash flows.—
David Trainer,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Before the Democratic National Convention in 1912, McCombs encouraged prominent journalists and editors to write articles supportive of Wilson's nomination.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The party has dismissed the raucous town halls in conservative districts as the work of liberal activist groups, which have encouraged people to flood public forums in an attempt to highlight frustrations with the administration.—
Riley Beggin,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Astronomers analyzing data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have uncovered a population of tiny, energetic galaxies that may have been key players in clearing the cosmic fog that shrouded the universe after the Big Bang.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
19 June 2025
-
They are characterized by energetic mark-making, a profound understanding of color, and complex, absorbing compositions.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Ter Stegen is determined to stay at Barca, where he is settled on a personal level and ready to challenge for the No 1 spot.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
-
That legislation collapsed when then-Sen. John McCain famously cast a thumbs-down vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is determined to avoid that outcome, sticking to the schedule and pressing ahead with voting expected by the end of the week.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Our publicist persuaded the New York Times to do an article on the hundredth anniversary of La Bohème and its staying power as reflected by Rent.—
Jeffrey Seller,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Convinced that sunken treasures were hidden beneath what was about to become three high-rise buildings, the amateur river detectives donned hard hats and persuaded a backhoe operator to let them onto the site.—
Kinsey Gidick,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Our goal is to provide this safe, dynamic space for after-school socialization and group hangouts.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
-
More than a global trade show, JCK is also a dynamic seminar site programmed with JCK Talks educational panel discussions and presentations delivered by experts from various jewelry industry realms-- and countries.—
Kyle Roderick,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
If Brown is enticed by the chance to see that through, the Chiefs can take advantage and alleviate some of the risk by luring him with some incentives based on playing time.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2025
-
With more cap space leaguewide than expected, Zucker may be enticed by the idea of hitting free agency coming off a career year.—
Matthew Fairburn,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Their silence is not surprising—the Trump administration has been eager to punish individual colleges, especially those that speak out against administration policies.—
Emma Whitford,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
Psyche will be the first metallic, or M-type, asteroid visited by any spacecraft, and scientists are eager to study an object that's largely made of metals—probably iron, nickel, and perhaps some rarer elements— instead of rocky minerals.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivated. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share