motivated

adjective

mo·​ti·​vat·​ed ˈmō-tə-ˌvā-təd 

: provided with a motive : having an incentive or a strong desire to do well or succeed in some pursuit

a motivated employee

Courses are being offered on college campuses for those who are highly motivated but who without such help often drop out and are lost to society and themselves.

—Carol Kort

In a sporting context, for example, athletes who consistently seem to play hard and rarely concede defeat are often described as highly motivated or "competitive" by the media.

—Robert C. Eklund

Examples of motivated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

South Africa's government has strongly denied any land confiscations or racially motivated discrimination, saying the law being scrutinized targets land not being used or not serving the public interest. —Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2025

However, others see the move as politically motivated. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

How motivated is Braun in the wake of the demotion? —Aaron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2025

The state’s market has moved beyond early electric car adopters — affluent, environmentally motivated buyers willing to overlook challenges like limited charging infrastructure and higher costs — and into the mainstream. —Calmatters, Orange County Register, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing motivated

• self-motivated