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.
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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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivated
Quanta Magazine, 11 June 2026
Paxton has said allegations of wrongdoing were politically motivated.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 June 2026
The imminent diplomatic normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia was what motivated Hamas to conduct its massive attack on civilians on October 7th.
—Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Adjective
A lot of our young students that come in to the Innovative Genomics Institute here in California certainly are very motivated by this.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 June 2026
Paxton has said allegations of wrongdoing were politically motivated.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Verb
Critically, roughly 70% of the increase in clean-energy spending over the past five years has come from net importers of fossil fuels — nations motivated not by climate idealism but by energy security.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 June 2026
The imminent diplomatic normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia was what motivated Hamas to conduct its massive attack on civilians on October 7th.
—Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivated
Adjective
-
So, that conversation was interesting given Adem’s diligent research and my memory.—
Jim Ryan,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Some information has been presented in court filings or uncovered by journalists and by one especially diligent state legislator, Anna Eskamani, from Orlando.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Those who experienced the earthquake are encouraged to report it via the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
-
Although the concept encouraged spaces that felt open, airy, and perfectly curated, in practice, the trend was anything but practical.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Actually, these are anything but those same White Sox that wallowed in all that misery the last three years — but rather a team of young, energetic grinders, the product of a near-total roster overhaul by general manager Chris Getz.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
-
However, the problem is that almost all nuclear energy transitions are far too energetic to be controlled with lasers.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
With Italy not in action and her not receiving a call similar to the one Eleonara Incardona received to cover the World Cup, she's been forced to cover her own vacation.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Theodat’s suit Theodat’s suit painted her as an accomplished leader who was forced out not due to any failings but because of discrimination.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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The pound-for-pound star walked through a determined Antonio Vargas en route to a sixth-round, one-punch KO to become a three-division champion on Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Gene Hackman — who developed new shades of menace and gravitas with each passing year — turns in a career-best performance as the determined and obsessive Det.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Verb
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The administration has persuaded several dozen countries to take in deportees who are not their own citizens, including African countries plagued by armed conflict, civil unrest and political turmoil, like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
They were persuaded by the details.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Esports is one of the most dynamic cultural movements of our time.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
18 June 2026
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Opposition to that measure has been particularly fierce in the technology and biotech sectors, whose representatives say tax breaks for research allow for the kind of expensive bets on innovation that have long driven California’s dynamic economy.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Seen from the other side of the deal, that means that bond issuers must pay higher yields, or rates, for investors to be enticed to buy.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Financial incentives offered by the conservation district, in conjunction with federal programs, have enticed farmers in the South Fork of the Republican River near Burlington to end irrigation on an additional 20,000 acres.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivated. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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