# motivated

/ˈmoʊtəˌveɪtəd/ (US) · /mˈəʊtɪvˌeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/motivated
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. enthusiastic and driven

adjective · CEFR B1

feeling very eager and willing to do something because you have a good reason.

For teachers: characterised by enthusiasm and a strong desire to achieve a goal. Often used as a gradable adjective.

- The students were highly motivated to finish their project before the weekend.
- A highly motivated workforce is essential for any company aiming to maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly changing global market.

### 2. past tense of motivate

verb · CEFR B1

the past form of 'motivate', meaning to give someone a reason to do something.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle form of the transitive verb 'motivate'.

- The coach's speech motivated the team to play much better in the second half.
- The promise of a significant bonus motivated the sales department to exceed their quarterly targets by nearly twenty percent.

## Examples

- She is a highly motivated student who always finishes her work early.
- The manager found that employees were more motivated when they felt their contributions were truly valued by the company.
- While some people are driven by external rewards like money, others are intrinsically motivated by the personal satisfaction they gain from mastering a difficult new skill.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.