as in incentive
something that arouses action or activity
fear of failing should be plenty of motivation to study for the test
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motivation
Research shows that celebrating even small wins releases dopamine in the brains of team members, maintains motivation, and fosters a sense of achievement.
—
Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
But the defense motion Tuesday night said that information would be relevant to the jury should any defendants testify at trial about their motivations for attending the protest in Broadview.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
What was clear was that progress toward a universal theory of ultrafinitism has been halting in part because there has been no one clear motivation for the movement, or any singular approach to deciding what its underlying logic should look like.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
This line of thinking also invites a broader reflection on the motivations that bring clinicians into the profession.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivation
Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
But the defense motion Tuesday night said that information would be relevant to the jury should any defendants testify at trial about their motivations for attending the protest in Broadview.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
What was clear was that progress toward a universal theory of ultrafinitism has been halting in part because there has been no one clear motivation for the movement, or any singular approach to deciding what its underlying logic should look like.
—Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026
This line of thinking also invites a broader reflection on the motivations that bring clinicians into the profession.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motivation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motivation
Noun
-
Grace Backian, director of the Northern Philippines Root Crops Research and Training Center, said that’s largely because there’s no financial incentive for farmers to plant more.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
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Most states have some sort of incentive in place to benefit EV buyers, including tax credits or rebates, or utility rate reductions, according to a 2023 report from the National Conference of State Legislators, a bipartisan nonprofit group for state legislators and their staff.—
Sarah Agostino,
CNBC,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
The lawyers do have a valid point that the state Department of Financial Services can do a better job of regulating auto insurance rates, which everyone agrees are too high and is the main impetus for Hochul’s reforms.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
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Villa could not find any impetus in the second half.—
Tottenham Hotspur,
New York Times,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
How To Get Blanket Flower To Bloom Blanket flowers are prolific bloomers and typically require very little encouragement to set flowers.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
4 May 2026
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Teachers are meant to be people that students can trust and seek out for mentorship, guidance, and encouragement.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Fiscal stimulus helped to buoy spending in the first quarter.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
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Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes, and the existential problems that war presents often act as a stimulus to innovation.—
David Szondy
May 02,
New Atlas,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motivation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motivation. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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