motivated in

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "motivated in" is not correct and may lead to confusion in written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; the correct expression would be "motivated by" or "motivated to." Example: "She is motivated by her desire to help others."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I'm not motivated in math.

The New York Times

I've been very motivated in practice.

The Guardian - Sport

Helen was motivated in part by her own historical research.

The New York Times - Magazine

Tips on staying motivated in your job hunt.

The Guardian

"Our decision was athletically motivated in large part.

The New York Times - Sports

"It was becoming harder to stay motivated in Japan".

The New York Times - Sports

However, they are highly motivated in initiating community health care clinics.

The Guardian

It's the same people managed and motivated in a different way".

The Guardian

She seems very motivated in doing what she does, and I enjoyed the conversation.

The Guardian

Mr. Spacey said he was motivated in part by cutbacks in many school arts programs.

The New York Times

Mr. Nosenko's defection seemed to have been motivated in part by his fondness for Western culture.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of saying someone is "motivated in" a particular field or area, use "motivated by" followed by the source of their motivation (e.g., "motivated by a desire to help others").

Common error

The most common mistake is using the preposition "in" after "motivated". Always use "by" to indicate what drives the motivation or "to" to indicate the action they are driven to perform.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "motivated in" functions as a verb phrase aiming to describe the cause of someone's actions or feelings. However, according to Ludwig, this usage is grammatically questionable and less preferable than using "motivated by" or "motivated to."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

37%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "motivated in" appears frequently across various sources, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig indicates that the accurate and preferred alternatives are "motivated by" or "motivated to", depending on the intended meaning. Although the phrase is used across different registers, its grammatical weakness makes it less ideal for formal writing. Remember to use "motivated by" to indicate the cause or reason for motivation, and "motivated to" when followed by a verb expressing the action being driven. Consider alternatives like "driven by" or "inspired by" for greater clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

motivated by

Uses 'by' to indicate the cause or reason for motivation.

driven by

Emphasizes a strong, compelling force behind the motivation.

inspired by

Suggests a more uplifting or creative source of motivation.

prompted by

Indicates that the motivation arose from a specific event or stimulus.

influenced by

Focuses on the impact of external factors on motivation.

actuated by

A more formal term indicating what initiates the action.

moved by

Suggests an emotional or compassionate basis for motivation.

compelled by

Implies a feeling of necessity or obligation driving the motivation.

with the purpose of

Highlights the intention or goal behind the motivation.

with the aim of

Similar to 'with the purpose of', emphasizing the desired outcome.

FAQs

How to use "motivated by" in a sentence?

Use "motivated by" to indicate the reason or cause behind someone's actions. For example, "She was "motivated by" a desire to improve her community".

What can I say instead of "motivated in"?

You can use alternatives like ""motivated by"", "driven by", or "inspired by" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "motivated in" or "motivated by"?

"Motivated by" is the grammatically correct choice. "Motivated in" is generally considered incorrect.

When should I use "motivated to"?

Use "motivated to" when followed by a verb indicating the action someone is driven to do. For example, "He was "motivated to" succeed".