motivated

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adjective

Synonyms of motivated
: 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

motivated

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past tense and past participle of motivate

Examples of motivated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
However, there have been dubious tax cuts, politically motivated earmarks, expanded entitlement programs, and outright waste and overspending in the military. Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 McBride says the charges against the Tates are politically motivated and an attempt to limit their free speech. Bill Chappell, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 Norcross always maintained his innocence and called the case politically motivated. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Retailers who used to treat the month as clearance time now have a live, motivated shopper base still filling gaps in supply lists. Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for motivated

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1903, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivated was in 1903

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Cite this Entry

“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivated. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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