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View synonyms for motivation

motivation

[ moh-tuh-vey-shuhn ]

noun

  1. the act or an instance of motivating, or providing with a reason to act in a certain way:

    I don't understand what her motivation was for quitting her job.

    Synonyms: impetus, cause, inducement, inspiration, motive

  2. the state or condition of being motivated or having a strong reason to act or accomplish something:

    We know that these students have strong motivation to learn.

  3. something that motivates; inducement; incentive:

    Clearly, the company's long-term motivation is profit.



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Other Word Forms

  • mo·ti·va·tion·al adjective
  • mo·ti·va·tive [moh, -t, uh, -vey-tiv], adjective
  • de·mo·ti·va·tion noun
  • non·mo·ti·va·tion noun
  • re·mo·ti·va·tion noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of motivation1

First recorded in 1870–75; motive + -ation
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They are honorable, of course, and when we meet Ghost, we discover motivations that are similarly altruistic, if a bit shallowly written.

Senior Reform figures believe the primary driving motivation behind their surge was that most powerful of human emotions: betrayal.

From BBC

But that only seemed to provide motivation for Nathalie Bjorn, who must have known her position in the team was under threat.

From BBC

All told, Knappenberger’s approach applies much-needed but heretofore scarcely presented doses of cynicism to America’s motivations for prosecuting and escalating this war.

From Salon

"The team is full of confidence, full of energy for the second leg, and we have the motivation to win this for our fans and for ourselves."

From BBC

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motivateˌmotiˈvation