motivation

motivation — noun

1. the inner drive that makes you want to put energy into a task, even when that ta

1.名詞B1
釋義

the inner drive that makes you want to put energy into a task, even when that task is tiring or demanding

例句

After the encouraging speech, the team felt renewed motivation to reach their sales goals.

collocation: renewed motivation / feel motivation

Aylin has been writing her novel with great motivation since joining the local writing club.

同義詞
  • drive

    stronger, more internal push; suggests relentless effort rather than general willingness

  • enthusiasm

    lighter, focused on enjoyment and positive energy rather than goal-directed effort

  • determination

    emphasises firmness of purpose and not giving up, especially in difficult tasks

反義詞
  • apathy

    complete lack of interest or desire to act

  • demotivation

    the loss of motivation, often caused by discouragement

文法句型

motivation + to-infinitive

motivation + for + noun / gerund

用法筆記

Uncountable in most contexts. Frequently takes 'to-infinitive' to state the goal ('motivation to succeed') or 'for + gerund' to state the activity ('motivation for studying'). Distinguish from sense 2, which points to a specific reason rather than the general feeling of wanting to act.

常見錯誤

❌I need motivation for study English.
✅I need motivation for studying English.
💡After 'for', use the gerund (-ing form), not the base verb.
❌She has a strong motivation to win.
✅She has strong motivation to win.
💡In this sense, 'motivation' is uncountable; do not use 'a'.

2. a specific factor — such as a need, wish, or external reward — that causes someo

2.名詞B2
釋義

a specific factor — such as a need, wish, or external reward — that causes someone to act in a certain manner or to aim for a particular result

例句

The police are still trying to determine the motivation behind the robbery.

motivation behind + [event]

Hassan's main motivation for the night shift was the higher pay and extra time off.

同義詞
  • motive

    almost interchangeable, but 'motive' is more common in legal or criminal contexts

  • reason

    broader and more neutral; does not carry the goal-directed force of 'motivation'

  • incentive

    focuses on an external reward or benefit that encourages action, rather than an internal reason

文法句型

motivation for + noun / gerund

motivation behind + noun

用法筆記

Countable in this sense — it takes plural 'motivations' when referring to multiple reasons or factors. Typically followed by 'for' (stating the action) or 'behind' (stating the event or behaviour). Unlike sense 1, this sense answers the question 'why?'. Frequently used in psychology and behavioural analysis contexts.

常見錯誤

❌What was his motivation to commit the crime?
✅What was his motivation for committing the crime?
💡Use 'for + gerund', not 'to-infinitive', when stating the specific action.
❌The motivation of his actions is unclear.
✅The motivation behind his actions is unclear.
💡Use 'behind' not 'of' to link to an action or event.

3. the process of encouraging someone to take action or work toward a goal by offer

3.名詞C1
釋義

the process of encouraging someone to take action or work toward a goal by offering reasons, creating favourable conditions, or appealing to their personal interests

例句

Coach Jabari's steady motivation helped the junior swim team cut their race times by nearly ten percent.

collocation: motivation from + [role]

The company invested heavily in employee motivation programmes to reduce staff turnover.

collocation: employee motivation programmes

同義詞
  • encouragement

    softer and more interpersonal; focuses on verbal support rather than structured processes

  • incentivisation

    more formal and business-oriented; emphasises rewards and measurable outcomes

  • inspiration

    suggests a creative or emotional spark rather than a systematic process

用法筆記

Uncountable, used formally in management, education, and coaching contexts. Frequently appears as a compound noun ('employee motivation', 'student motivation', 'team motivation') where it functions as an attributive noun modifying the outcome group. Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense describes an intentional action performed by one person on another, not a personal feeling or reason.