motivational

American  

[moh-tuh-vey-shuh-nl] / ˌmoʊ təˈveɪ ʃə nl /

adjective

1. of or relating to motivation, a person's reason for acting in a certain way.

   The research investigated the motivational factors influencing people’s decision to volunteer with community organizations.

2. inspiring or seeking to inspire people to act in a certain way, especially so as to overcome obstacles and achieve success, happiness, etc..

   He mentors inner city youth, telling his motivational story at local schools.

   Since her diagnosis, she has become an HIV/AIDS educator, motivational speaker, and activist.

---

Other Word Forms

• antimotivational
  adjective
• nonmotivational
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of motivational

motivation ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

Anything motivational makes you want to do something — or at least be willing to do it. When you're training your dog, the treats in your pocket can be used as motivational tools. If someone gives a motivational speech, their purpose is to try to get people excited about doing or trying something. A football coach's motivational talk to his team, for example, is intended to inspire the players to win the game. In other words, what the coach says motivates the team to play well. Both motivate and motivational come from the Old French motif, "drive or motivation," from motivus, "moving" in Medieval Latin.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

motivational

A clearer understanding of how these neurons function could eventually contribute to new ways of addressing motivational deficits, including loss of motivation and difficulty maintaining goal-directed behavior.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026

Tyson lent his name to the academy for $1 a year, has appeared at ceremonies for the school and given motivational speeches to students.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

He heard it while sitting around home plate at Cal listening to a motivational talk that longtime Cal coach Bob Milano made the team hear over the stadium’s loudspeakers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

Despite its association with conservative Christianity, homeschooling is rich in demographic and motivational diversity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

And so we scramble to do what he says, because red-handed is red-handed, and this is martial law, and Jacqui’s motivational poster is truer than anything right now.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman