Examples of ulterior motive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unbeknownst to Eleven, Vecna has an ulterior motive.
—
Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
This weekend, Ryan Coogler’s genre-stretching box office smash Sinners, starring not but two Michael B. Jordans, returns to cinemas for a limited engagement, ostensibly for the creepy holiday season — but could Warner Bros. have an ulterior motive for the re-release?
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Flowers have an ulterior motive for providing this energy source.
—Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2025
There was an ulterior motive, though: While the Abbott-ers were at Paddy’s Pub, Frank was busy ripping all the copper piping out of their walls.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 9 July 2025
When a mysterious billionaire named Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson) funds their mission, the brother-sister duo set their sights on accomplishing their goal, only to discover there's an ulterior motive at play.
—Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 23 May 2025
But there may have been an ulterior motive to Finch’s message.
—Anthony Slater, New York Times, 8 May 2025
Elton John had an ulterior motive for making his latest album, Who Believes in Angels?, a collaboration with his good friend Brandi Carlile.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2025
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Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
This weekend, Ryan Coogler’s genre-stretching box office smash Sinners, starring not but two Michael B. Jordans, returns to cinemas for a limited engagement, ostensibly for the creepy holiday season — but could Warner Bros. have an ulterior motive for the re-release?
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Flowers have an ulterior motive for providing this energy source.
—Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2025
There was an ulterior motive, though: While the Abbott-ers were at Paddy’s Pub, Frank was busy ripping all the copper piping out of their walls.
—Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 9 July 2025
When a mysterious billionaire named Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson) funds their mission, the brother-sister duo set their sights on accomplishing their goal, only to discover there's an ulterior motive at play.
—Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 23 May 2025
But there may have been an ulterior motive to Finch’s message.
—Anthony Slater, New York Times, 8 May 2025
Elton John had an ulterior motive for making his latest album, Who Believes in Angels?, a collaboration with his good friend Brandi Carlile.
—Melinda Newman, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ulterior motive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ulterior%20motive. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
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