1
as in theme
a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)
the motif of mute figures standing in lonely isolation is a recurrent one in the artist's works
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motif
But no matter how strong Carmen becomes, her destiny — embodied by a wraithlike old woman who turns up whenever the orchestra plays Bizet’s 10-note fate motif — is predetermined.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Nature design motifs are sprinkled throughout the dining room, such as redwood paneling bearing carvings of a redwood tree and a topography map of Kirkwood Mountain, where the Riches like to ski.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
The bright blue areas and cat-eye sunglasses motif are further complemented by hot pink accents.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
These were large, monochromatic canvases featuring roses and other motifs obscured by large X’s.
—News Desk, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motif
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Nature design motifs are sprinkled throughout the dining room, such as redwood paneling bearing carvings of a redwood tree and a topography map of Kirkwood Mountain, where the Riches like to ski.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
The bright blue areas and cat-eye sunglasses motif are further complemented by hot pink accents.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
These were large, monochromatic canvases featuring roses and other motifs obscured by large X’s.
—News Desk, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motif
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motif
Noun
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The theme for the first live show was songs of faith, with each contestant choosing a performance to match.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 Mar. 2026
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The current exhibition at MAF highlights how his cinematic works functioned as experimental analyses of 20th-century America, exploring themes of consumerism, authoritarianism, and the existential threat of nuclear war.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Bands of darker skin often followed similar patterns from patient to patient—a series of V’s along the upper spine, S’s along the abdomen, and an inverted U across each breast.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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This kind of influence is crucial as businesses are locked in a desperate race to defeat the algorithms that pervert our everyday choices and use our own pattern recognition against us to circumscribe our free will.—
Bruce Stockler,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Workplan topics throughout the year include rate relief measures, energy programs, hydrogen vehicle fueling stations, social media marketing, and long-term power procurement strategy.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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What's the best way to bring up the topic with your partner?—
Clare Marie Schneider,
NPR,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The show mostly avoids the politics that swirl around the design business, especially these days when critics are obsessed with the environmental evils of fast fashion and the shortcomings of an industry known to exploit labor around the globe.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
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The design process took more than five years, a negotiation between the city’s strict hydraulic requirements and the neighborhood’s shifting wishes; the result was something no one had pictured in advance.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The bank is not affiliated with the foundation and consultants are not used for labor matters regarding employees, according to Wells Fargo.—
Chase Jordan
April 2,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Southlake megachurch and its attorneys want to use someone from the American Arbitration Association or a district judge to settle the matter.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lee Clay Johnson’s Bloodline and Carl Hiaasen’s Fever Beach answer that question in different, equally impressive ways.—
Francine Prose,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Residents in Kansas City, Independence and Blue Springs will see funding questions on their April ballot.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motif.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motif. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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