motivational

IPA/ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃənl/
KK[mˌotəvˈeʃənəl]IPA/ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃənl/

motivational — adjective

  • motivationalpositive
  • more motivationalcomparative
  • most motivationalsuperlative

1. designed or able to provide the enthusiasm, drive, and positive energy that help

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

designed or able to provide the enthusiasm, drive, and positive energy that helps someone keep working toward a goal, especially when the task is difficult or requires sustained effort

Example

The team captain gave a motivational talk before the big match.

attributive: motivational + talk

Priya pinned a motivational quote above her desk to stay focused during exams.

Common collocations
  • motivational speech
  • motivational speaker
  • motivational quote
  • motivational poster
  • motivational video
  • motivational factor
  • motivational force
Synonyms
  • inspiring

    broader; suggests filling someone with a desire to do something creative or great, often through admiration

  • encouraging

    softer; focuses on giving hope or confidence to someone who may be hesitant

  • uplifting

    more emotional; emphasizes raising someone's mood or spirits rather than driving action

  • inspirational

    can imply a deeper, more transformative influence; often interchangeable with motivational but slightly more formal

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

motivational + noun

be + motivational

Usage Note

Often used attributively before nouns related to communication (speech, talk, message, video, poster, quote) or personal qualities (factor, force, element). Can also appear predicatively after linking verbs such as be, seem, or feel.

Common Mistakes

I felt very motivational after the speech.
I felt very motivated after the speech.
'motivational' describes things that provide motivation; 'motivated' describes the feeling of having motivation yourself.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Inspiring, encouraging, uplifting, and inspirational all relate to creating a positive emotional response, but they differ in connotation and typical use. 'Motivational' is the most practical and action-oriented: it specifically refers to providing the drive to accomplish something, especially a challenging goal. 'Inspiring' suggests filling someone with a desire to do something creative or extraordinary, often through admiration of another's achievement. 'Encouraging' focuses on giving hope, confidence, or emotional support to someone who may be hesitant. 'Uplifting' emphasizes raising someone's mood or spirits, often through emotionally positive content. 'Inspirational' overlaps heavily with motivational but can imply a deeper, more transformative influence. For example, a coach's motivational talk gets the team ready for the game; an inspiring story about overcoming hardship makes you want to change your life; an encouraging note from a friend helps you through a tough day; and an uplifting film leaves you feeling happier.

inspiring ↗encouraging ↗uplifting ↗inspirational ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • highly motivational
  • deeply motivational
  • surprisingly motivational
  • genuinely motivational

Phrases

  • for motivational purposes

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed from 'motivation' with the adjective-forming suffix '-al' ('relating to'). 'Motivation' was created from 'motivate', which was itself derived from 'motive', a word that travelled from Latin motivus ('causing movement') through Old French motif into English. The underlying Latin verb movere means 'to move'. What once referred to physical motion gradually shifted in the late 1800s and early 1900s to describe the psychological drive that pushes people to act and persist.