Unmotivating

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Failing to inspire interest or enthusiasm; lacking the ability to encourage action or effort; not providing a reason to continue or strive
2. Causing a lack of drive or eagerness; ineffective at stirring desire or ambition; devoid of elements that prompt pursuit or commitment
3. Producing little or no encouragement; unable to arouse determination or passion; not stimulating the will to achieve or engage

Etymology: "Unmotivating" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "motivating," the present participle of "motivate." The prefix is one of English's most productive, and it has been used for centuries to turn adjectives and participles into their negatives, so this word follows an ordinary pattern rather than a special history. The base word "motivate" was formed in English from "motive," which came into the language from Old French and ultimately from Late Latin "motivus," meaning "moving" or "causing motion." That sense of physical movement is the root of the modern meaning: a motive is what sets a person moving, and to motivate someone is to supply that push. "Unmotivating" therefore describes something that fails to provide that push, such as a task, a speech, or a job that leaves someone with no drive to act.

Synonyms: demotivating, discouraging, uninspiring

Antonyms: motivating, encouraging, inspiring