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
Mythical creatures — griffins and sphinxes — adorn the back, motifs that speak to the cultural exchanges flowing through the region.
—
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
In the great room, Gibson took cues from a rug Christian Bérard created for Nelson Rockefeller’s Fifth Avenue apartment, amplifying its gestural floral pattern in a custom carpet and then carrying the motif up the walls.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 10 Apr. 2026
There’s considered craftsmanship and next-level detail throughout, from the terracotta brick floors to the ship-motif curtains that nod to Seville’s status as a trading port in the 16th century and the original Spanish tiles in the corridors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2026
The sea motif is threaded throughout the tasting room.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motif
Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
In the great room, Gibson took cues from a rug Christian Bérard created for Nelson Rockefeller’s Fifth Avenue apartment, amplifying its gestural floral pattern in a custom carpet and then carrying the motif up the walls.
—David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 10 Apr. 2026
There’s considered craftsmanship and next-level detail throughout, from the terracotta brick floors to the ship-motif curtains that nod to Seville’s status as a trading port in the 16th century and the original Spanish tiles in the corridors.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2026
The sea motif is threaded throughout the tasting room.
—Jess Lander, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motif
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motif
Noun
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Ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary this year, her lecture will touch on the themes and significance of the People’s Bicentennial Quilt.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The Vatican says fighting corruption in the mineral-rich country and insisting on the correct uses of political authority are expected to be themes of Leo’s visit, which starts Wednesday with his arrival in Yaounde, the capital.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Yet the pattern is blessed only in retrospect.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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These systems often involve black holes of unequal mass and display strong wobbling and irregular spin patterns.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
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Other frequent topics include weather issues such as storms and drought and weed identification.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Rumors about the product have been swirling since last year, and the latest scoop says the company may be testing four different designs for the wearable.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
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In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul strains to show that the Gentile mission and the Jerusalem mission, though carried out by mutually mistrustful parties, belong to a single divine design.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Abhay Deshpande, PhD, BNL associate laboratory director for nuclear and particle physics and science director for the EIC, noted the EIC marks a major step forward in exploring matter and the strongest force in nature.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
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Even if the party wins an outright majority in September’s state election, the AfD will not be able to implement such changes, which are a matter for the federal government in Berlin.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Verbeten introduced her bill at the Senate Judiciary Committee, and there were a lot of questions.—
Esme Murphy,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Have questions about ordering or a purchase?—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motif.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motif. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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