motivation

[ moh-tuh-vey-shuhn ]
/ ˌmoʊ təˈveɪ ʃən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR motivation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.
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.
something that motivates; inducement; incentive: Clearly, the company's long-term motivation is profit.

QUIZZES

HEED THE VOX POPULI, AND TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Test your memory on these verbal firecrackers from the week of June 29 to July 5!
Question 1 of 7
anchorite
a granular metamorphic rock.
a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.
a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of motivation

First recorded in 1870–75; motive + -ation

OTHER WORDS FROM motivation

Words nearby motivation

motion sickness, motion study, motion work, motionless, motivate, motivation, motivation research, motivational research, motive, motive power, motivic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to motivation

desire, impetus, interest, wish, incentive, motive, reason, encouragement, impulse, catalyst, inclination, provocation, hunger, gimmick, angle, persuasion, incitation, kick, fire, action

Example sentences from the Web for motivation

British Dictionary definitions for motivation

motivation
/ (ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃən) /

noun

the act or an instance of motivating
desire to do; interest or drive
incentive or inducement
psychol the process that arouses, sustains and regulates human and animal behaviour

Derived forms of motivation

motivational, adjectivemotivative, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012