motivation
noun
mo·ti·va·tion
ˌmō-tə-ˈvā-shən 
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
motivationally
adverb
Synonyms
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
In the wake of the Trump assassination, conspiracies about who the gunman was and the motivation behind the shooting gained plenty of steam online, but most of those falsehoods weren't predicated on doctored photos.
—
Megan Morrone, Axios, 22 July 2024
But while the main motivation behind doing good in their community may not have anything to do with scaling their business, telling stories of impact and philanthropy can be a great strategy for boosting business growth.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2024
Sondheim’s brilliance, along with book writer John Weidman, is in how each motivation of the assassin is varied in scope.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 18 July 2024
In an interview this year with Bustle, an online magazine that caters to women, 21-year-old Phoebe Gates cited her mother's work and her own anger over the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade as motivation for her reproductive health care activism.
—Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for motivation 
Megan Morrone, Axios, 22 July 2024
But while the main motivation behind doing good in their community may not have anything to do with scaling their business, telling stories of impact and philanthropy can be a great strategy for boosting business growth.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2024
Sondheim’s brilliance, along with book writer John Weidman, is in how each motivation of the assassin is varied in scope.
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 18 July 2024
In an interview this year with Bustle, an online magazine that caters to women, 21-year-old Phoebe Gates cited her mother's work and her own anger over the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade as motivation for her reproductive health care activism.
—Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for motivation
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.
Dictionary Entries Near motivation
Cite this Entry
“Motivation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivation. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
motivation
noun
mo·ti·va·tion
ˌmōt-ə-ˈvā-shən
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
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
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