# motivation

/ˌmoʊtəˈveɪʃən/ (US) · /mˌəʊtɪvˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. desire to do something

noun · CEFR B1

the feeling of wanting to do something, especially when it involves hard work.

For teachers: the internal state or enthusiasm that drives an individual to act or perform a task.

- It is hard to find the motivation to go to the gym when it is raining outside.
- The team's motivation plummeted after the third consecutive defeat, making it difficult for the coach to maintain a positive atmosphere during training sessions.

### 2. a reason or incentive

noun · CEFR B2

the specific reason why you do something.

For teachers: a specific factor, incentive, or reason that explains a person's behaviour or choices.

- Money was his main motivation for taking the extra shifts at the factory.
- The detective struggled to identify a clear motivation for the crime, as the suspect had no prior connection to the victim or the property.

### 3. the act of encouraging

noun · CEFR B2

the act of giving someone a reason to do something or making them feel excited about it.

For teachers: the process or action of stimulating interest or enthusiasm in another person to achieve a goal.

- The manager's style of motivation involves giving small rewards for every success.
- Effective employee motivation requires a sophisticated balance of financial incentives and genuine professional recognition.

### 4. advertising impact

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a measurement of how much an advertisement makes people want to buy a product.

For teachers: a research metric used to quantify the effectiveness of a commercial in influencing consumer purchase intent.

- The agency used a motivation score to see if the new TV ad would actually increase sales.
- The study analysed the motivation levels of the target demographic, concluding that the emotional appeal of the campaign significantly outweighed the rational arguments.

Usage: Commonly used in market research and advertising analytics.

## Examples

- High pay is a strong motivation for many employees.
- The marketing team studied consumer motivation to understand why people prefer organic products over cheaper alternatives.
- Psychologists distinguish between intrinsic motivation, which comes from personal satisfaction, and extrinsic motivation, which is driven by external rewards like money or status.

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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.