motivation

noun

mo·​ti·​va·​tion ˌmō-tə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce motivation (audio)
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
2
: a motivating force, stimulus, or influence : incentive, drive
the Old Testament heroes added religious motivation to the waging of warRichard Humble
The fear of failure was the motivation for his achievements.
motivational adjective
motivationally adverb

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 fact, selfish motivation is correlated with poor psychological well-being, physical health, and relationships. Talia Varley, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 Whatever the animals’ motivations, the observations could help inform future conservation strategies by shedding light on how elephants act in areas dominated by humans, LaDue tells the publication. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024 There’s a sense of urgency to the game, which offers clues to the motivations of those who built and distributed it. Alison Herman, Variety, 9 Mar. 2024 Read More: Research Reveals Surprising Conversations Between Our Brain Cells The Discovery of Social Facilitation Psychologist Norman Triplett first introduced the concept of social facilitation, or the motivation to perform in front of others, in 1898. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Melvin says his reasoning for the mandate isn’t based on any political motivation – or even a Major League Baseball (MLB) ruling – instead explaining that it is meant to show a unified front before games. Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Whatever your motivation, I’m now motivated to write about parents’ responsibility to teach kids what is and isn’t their business. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Attracting broader audiences was a clear motivation. Henry Flynn, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Techniques for Maintaining Motivation and Focus Set Small, Achievable Goals: Breaking down your study plan into smaller, manageable tasks can help maintain motivation. Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of motivation was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near motivation

Cite this Entry

“Motivation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motivation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

motivation

noun
mo·​ti·​va·​tion ˌmōt-ə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce motivation (audio)
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 How to pronounce motivation (audio)
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
motivational adjective
motivationally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on motivation

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