motivation
gb/mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/ us/mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
B1
Inglés
~ 7800
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Sustantivo
B1
state
1
desire and energy to act
The feeling that makes you want to do something and work hard at it.
Patrón de uso:
[someone] has / loses / finds motivation to [do something]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse "motivation" with "inspiration". "Inspiration" is a sudden good idea or feeling from something beautiful or special, while "motivation" is the longer-lasting desire that helps you keep working. Learners also sometimes say *"motivation for do something"*; the correct pattern is usually "motivation to do something" or "motivation for doing something".
Sinónimos
drive (Suggests strong energy and determination, especially for success or hard work.)
Antónimos
apathy (Means not caring or not being interested in doing anything.)
Colocaciones
lose motivation
|find motivation
|lack motivation
|boost motivation
|high motivation
|strong motivation
Temas
emotions
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- After the exam results, she suddenly had new motivation to study harder.
- I just don't have any motivation to go to the gym this week.
- Coaches try to increase players' motivation before an important game.
- His main motivation to learn English is to get a better job abroad.
- Listening to music gives me enough motivation to finish my work.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I have no motivation to clean my room today.
- Her teacher helped her find motivation to read more books.
- Good feedback from my boss gives me motivation to work hard.
- He lost his motivation after he failed the test.
- Friends can give you motivation when you feel tired.
Sustantivo
B2
entity
2
reason behind an action
The reason why someone does something or decides something.
Patrón de uso:
[someone]'s motivation for [doing something]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use "motivation" only for positive actions. In this sense, it can be positive or negative: you can talk about a criminal's motivation or a politician's motivation. Also, many learners use "reason" where "motivation" is better when talking about deeper or hidden causes, especially in news and legal contexts.
Sinónimos
motive (A slightly more formal or legal word for the reason someone does something, especially something wrong or serious.)
Antónimos
aimlessness (Describes acting without a clear reason, goal, or purpose.)
Colocaciones
question someone's motivation
|hidden motivation
|true motivation
|political motivation
|personal motivation
|underlying motivation
Temas
thinking
|ethics
|law
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Investigators are still trying to understand the attacker's motivation.
- His motivation for volunteering every weekend is not completely clear.
- Some people questioned the company's motivation for supporting the new law.
- She insists that her only motivation was to help her friend.
- The judge considered the defendant's motivation when deciding the sentence.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- We do not know the thief's motivation for stealing the car.
- Her main motivation for moving was to be closer to her family.
- People had different motivations for joining the project.
- The teacher asked the student about his motivation for cheating.
- They tried to find the true motivation behind the decision.
Sustantivo
B2
entity
3
thing that encourages effort
Something that you give or offer to people so that they will work harder or do something.
Patrón de uso:
[something] provides / offers motivation for [someone]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with the inner feeling of motivation. Here, "motivation" is an outside thing (like money, a prize, or praise) that gives people a reason to work harder. In business texts, "incentive" is often more natural than "motivation" when talking about payments or rewards.
Sinónimos
incentive (Very close in meaning, but more common in business and policy discussions.)
Antónimos
deterrent (Something that makes people less likely to do something, the opposite of motivation in this sense.)
Colocaciones
extra motivation
|financial motivation
|added motivation
|provide motivation
|offer motivation
|give someone motivation
Temas
business
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The bonus will be an extra motivation for staff to reach their targets.
- Clear career paths can be a strong motivation for employees to stay with a company.
- For many students, the scholarship is the main motivation to apply for the program.
- The coach used the final match as motivation for the team to train harder.
- Public recognition can be a powerful motivation for volunteers.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Money is a strong motivation for many workers.
- The prize is good motivation for the children to read more books.
- A kind word from a manager can be motivation to do better.
- The teacher used games as motivation for the class.
- Free tickets were motivation for people to join the event.
Sustantivo
technical
C1
entity
4
psychological process driving behavior
In psychology, the mental process that starts and controls our actions toward a goal.
Patrón de uso:
theories of motivation in [field / context]
Error frecuente:
Learners often do not realize that in academic texts, "motivation" has a more specific, technical meaning as a psychological process and is strongly connected to terms like "intrinsic" and "extrinsic" motivation. They may also confuse it with everyday "motivation" as simple interest or energy.
Sinónimos
drive (In psychology, often used in the plural "drives" to talk about internal forces that push behavior.)
Antónimos
demotivation (Refers to processes or factors that reduce or destroy motivation.)
Colocaciones
intrinsic motivation
|extrinsic motivation
|theories of motivation
|human motivation
|student motivation
|motivation and emotion
Temas
psychology
|science
|education
Ejemplos
- The course introduces major theories of human motivation and emotion.
- Researchers examined how intrinsic motivation affects long-term learning.
- In educational psychology, student motivation is a key factor in academic success.
- The book provides an overview of motivation in the workplace from a psychological perspective.
- The study explores the relationship between motivation, attention, and performance.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Psychologists study motivation to understand why people act in certain ways.
- The teacher read an article about student motivation in the classroom.
- Intrinsic motivation comes from inside a person, not from money or rewards.
- Many books talk about motivation and how it changes behavior.
- In this class, we will learn basic ideas about motivation and learning.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
motivation
AFI
GB/mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
US/mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
Sílabas y acento
mo - tiv - a - tion (4 sílabas)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: motivation
- Plural: motivation, motivations
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
extra motivation
1/ˈɛkstɹə mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
additional motivation
More motivation than before, which makes you try harder.
Ejemplos
- The upcoming wedding gave him extra motivation to lose weight.
- Winning the first game was extra motivation for the team to train harder.
- The deadline is extra motivation to focus today.
find motivation
1/fˈaɪnd mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
start feeling motivated again
To get the feeling that makes you want to do something, especially after you did not feel it before.
Ejemplos
- I finally found the motivation to clean my apartment this weekend.
- Talking to a friend helped him find motivation to apply for new jobs.
- She is trying to find motivation to finish her degree.
keep up the motivation
1/kˈip ˈʌp ðə mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
maintain motivation level
To continue feeling motivated and not lose interest or energy over time.
Ejemplos
- It's hard to keep up the motivation when progress is slow.
- The coach used different strategies to keep up the motivation of the players.
- Setting small goals can help you keep up the motivation to study every day.
lack of motivation
1/lˈæk əv mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
not having motivation
A state where someone does not feel like doing anything or working toward a goal.
Ejemplos
- The main problem in the class is a general lack of motivation among the students.
- His recent drop in performance seems to come from a lack of motivation, not a lack of skill.
- Exercise can help reduce your lack of motivation and low mood.
lose motivation
1/lˈuz mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
stop feeling motivated
To stop wanting to do something or stop feeling energy to continue it.
Ejemplos
- Many people lose motivation after the first few weeks of a new exercise program.
- She lost motivation halfway through the project and never finished it.
- It's easy to lose motivation when you don't see quick results.
motivation letter
1/mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən lˈɛtɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
letter explaining your application
A formal letter where you say why you want a job, course, or scholarship and why you are a good person for it.
Ejemplos
- Applicants must submit a CV and a motivation letter in English.
- In your motivation letter, explain why you chose this university.
- She spent the weekend rewriting her motivation letter for the scholarship.
source of motivation
1/sˈɔɹs əv mˌoʊtəvˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
thing that gives motivation
The person, thing, or idea that gives someone the desire and energy to do something.
Ejemplos
- Her children are her main source of motivation to keep working.
- Coaches often try to be a strong source of motivation for young athletes.
- Clear goals can be a powerful source of motivation.