motivation
noun
the act or an instance of motivating, or providing with a reason to act in a certain way.
motivations
-
pluralof motivation.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I don’t pretend to know the motivations of Anthropic’s Dario Amodei and other tech titans who last weekend announced their view that the development of artificial intelligence requires government oversight to avert global catastrophe.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
"It was really tough when mine and Sammy's credibility, ethics and motivations were being called into question," Gunn said.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Fans on social media questioned her motivations and expressed concerns for her safety while Gotham supporters voiced their disappointment over the messaging around her exit and the club missing out on a transfer fee.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
In a sane world he would provide answers that could facilitate greater understanding of his actions and motivations, and how he believes those actions will benefit the American people.
From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Her insolent behavior contradicts her quiz scores. I don’t understand her motivations, and when I don’t understand something, Reynard, it is natural that I don’t trust it.”
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
