Motivation & Engagement: English Vocabulary List

to have complete control, mastery, or confidence over something

"She has the recipe for success on lock."

"The top student has the exam on lock because she has studied every single chapter thoroughly."

to get ready for action or prepare for a challenge

"The soldier shouted, lock and load."

"The soldier shouted lock and load to his team before they went into the dangerous battle zone."

an attempt, try, or turn at something

"That idea is whack."

"That excuse sounded whack because everyone knew he had been caught lying before."

courage, toughness, and perseverance over time in the face of challenges

"The team showed true grit."

"Her grit and determination helped her finish the marathon despite a painful ankle injury."

to have a strong craving or intense desire for something

"I jones for coffee every morning."

"I am starting to jones for a cup of strong coffee because I have not had any caffeine all morning."

excited, enthusiastic, or hyped up about something

"I am amped."

"The crowd was amped up for the concert and they screamed when the band walked onto the stage."

excited, hyped, or highly engaged, often in gaming, sports, or music contexts

"She is geeked."

"He was geeked about the new video game release and he waited in line at midnight to buy it."

extremely excited, pumped up, or enthusiastic

"The crowd is hyped."

"The hyped audience cheered loudly when their favorite athlete entered the stadium for the competition."

feeling extremely excited or enthusiastic about something

"I am stoked."

"The surfer was stoked when he caught the perfect wave and rode it all the way to shore."

excited, energized, and ready for something

"The team is pumped."

"The team was pumped for the championship game and they could hardly sit still in the locker room."

focused, attentive, or doing something properly

"He is always on job and never late."

"The detective is always on job and cannot relax even when he is supposed to be on vacation."

to enter a state of total focus or concentration on a task

"He will lock in."

"To prepare for the competition, the athlete would lock in for hours, completely ignoring all distractions."

courage, bravery, or nerve to do something difficult or risky

"She has guts."

"It took incredible guts for her to stand up to the bully and defend her friend."

inner strength, moral courage, or the ability to stand up for oneself

"She has a strong spine."

"Despite the pressure, she showed remarkable spine and refused to compromise her values."

performing exceptionally well under pressure or in critical situations

"His play was clutch."

"His clutch performance in the final minute of the game saved the team from certain defeat."

ready, willing, or bold enough to take on a challenge or task

"I am game."

"She is always game for trying new foods and she once ate fried insects on a dare."

showing agreement, loyalty, or willingness to participate in an activity or cause

"He is down for it."

"Everyone was down for the proposed charity event, eager to contribute to a good cause."

willing, ready, or on board to participate in something

"Are you in?"

"When the team proposed the new project, she was enthusiastically in and ready to tackle challenges."

to tease or joke about someone, often playfully

"They crack up."

"My friends always crack up at my silly jokes, which makes me feel appreciated."