1
as in matters
a major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition)
the principal motive of the piece was introduced in the flute section
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in motifs
a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric)
decorated with a paisley motive
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in reasons
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing
the detective felt that the first suspect didn't have any motive for committing the crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motives
The Week Uk, TheWeek, 14 Feb. 2026
This is a political tactic of the most crude sort, making no effort to refute an argument but to instead impugn the motives of those making it, along with the assumption that people with white skin can always and forever have only suspect motives.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Nobody has any other worries, any other motives, anything else going on.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Bezos has been pushing the Post’s management team to return the publication to profitability, but many journalists at the paper have criticized his approach and questioned his motives.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
There are selfish motives as Hawk is also secretly trying to track down whoever is blackmailing him.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Again, the value lies in confirming timelines, not speculating motives.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Detectives are still trying to determine motives in the killings and trying to figure out if the suspect is someone who is upset with homeless people being in that area, or if drugs or gangs may be involved, sources told KABC.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2026
The motives in each remain unknown.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
What the files do seem to confirm, though, is the conspiracy theorist’s view of an elite stratosphere, where normal rules don’t apply, everyone knows each other, and ideological differences are subsumed to self-interested motives.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 14 Feb. 2026
This is a political tactic of the most crude sort, making no effort to refute an argument but to instead impugn the motives of those making it, along with the assumption that people with white skin can always and forever have only suspect motives.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Nobody has any other worries, any other motives, anything else going on.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Bezos has been pushing the Post’s management team to return the publication to profitability, but many journalists at the paper have criticized his approach and questioned his motives.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
There are selfish motives as Hawk is also secretly trying to track down whoever is blackmailing him.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Again, the value lies in confirming timelines, not speculating motives.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Detectives are still trying to determine motives in the killings and trying to figure out if the suspect is someone who is upset with homeless people being in that area, or if drugs or gangs may be involved, sources told KABC.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2026
The motives in each remain unknown.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motives
Noun
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Zelenskyy previously stressed that the timing and format of any elections are matters solely for Ukraine and its citizens, rejecting any suggestion that the Kremlin could dictate the process.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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The Trust Act allows for local cooperation with ICE on certain criminal matters, like human trafficking, child exploitation, drug and weapons trafficking, and cybercrimes.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Plus, all pieces are adorned with mid-century style motifs to give everything an extra boost of vintage flair.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Sequence analysis 5′ of the transcriptional site indicated a TATA-less promoter with possible cis-acting motifs that may regulate C3a receptor gene expression.—
Kirstin R.W. Matthews,
STAT,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the fact that South Korea is obviously, for very understandable reasons, suspicious about Japanese nationalism.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The judge cited the 23-year-old defendant's potential for rehabilitation and difficult upbringing as reasons for the lower sentence.—
Monroe Trombly,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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What motivates you to get out of bed each day—moves you forward—without the inevitability of your mortality?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That’s what motivates Mikash on the court.—
Noah Poser,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Goldman Sachs has initiated research coverage of the miner Energy Fuels with a buy rating, citing the company's exposure to two big themes in the energy industry — uranium and rare earths.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Others pushed the exotic limits further with Hindu/Asia or Babylonian/Mesopotamian themes.—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Joe Brusuelas, senior economist at RSM US, highlighted a few of those factors when pushing back on White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett’s claim Monday that subdued job gains are primarily the result of lower population figures and higher productivity.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Since the retail figures aren’t adjusted for inflation, weaker figures could be impacted by steep holiday discounts.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
John Brummett,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
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But learning about such fascinating topics required catching these mysterious energized neutrinos in a way never done before, which in turn requires extraordinary equipment, UChicago explained.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Eco effort Deeply committed to sea turtle conservation, Four Seasons Resort Nevis has partnered with the Sea Turtle Conservancy for over 15 years to educate and raise awareness while supporting research on migration patterns and species recovery.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
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Other patterns and motifs, at varying scales, were then used to accentuate the main selection.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motives. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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