1
as in themes
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in patterns
a unit of decoration that is repeated all over something (as a fabric)
the fabric for the upholstery features a scallop shell motif
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of motifs
Lemann, like the talkative older ladies of her youth, clutches the motifs of her past like talismans.
—
Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Its elegant style fits most bathroom motifs.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
And in the freest of free verse poems, recurring images and motifs operate like punchlines in stand-up comedy, echoing earlier jokes in a routine.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
From the soaring lobby atrium to the 510 rooms, the new design leans heavily on Peranakan motifs such as batik textiles and floral wallpaper.
—Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
From citrus motifs to delicate florals, there's no shortage of ideas for pastel French manicures.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
These motifs evolve into deeper explorations of aggression and subcultural aesthetics, dedicating space to his film Trash Humpers and the Shadow Fux paintings.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
The Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the world's great urban green spaces, inspired everything from the color palette (soft greens, aqua blues, natural wood tones) to the botanical motifs that appear in textiles and art throughout the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Vintage Guess surf and skate graphics are layered and remixed with Hysteric’s motifs and retro stripes across a range of tees.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
Brandy Jensen, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Its elegant style fits most bathroom motifs.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
And in the freest of free verse poems, recurring images and motifs operate like punchlines in stand-up comedy, echoing earlier jokes in a routine.
—Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026
From the soaring lobby atrium to the 510 rooms, the new design leans heavily on Peranakan motifs such as batik textiles and floral wallpaper.
—Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
From citrus motifs to delicate florals, there's no shortage of ideas for pastel French manicures.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
These motifs evolve into deeper explorations of aggression and subcultural aesthetics, dedicating space to his film Trash Humpers and the Shadow Fux paintings.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
The Singapore Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the world's great urban green spaces, inspired everything from the color palette (soft greens, aqua blues, natural wood tones) to the botanical motifs that appear in textiles and art throughout the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Vintage Guess surf and skate graphics are layered and remixed with Hysteric’s motifs and retro stripes across a range of tees.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motifs
Noun
-
Many people speak of the timeliness of the themes of this show.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The project is rooted in themes of loneliness, psychological control and the seductive pull of structure in an isolated life.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These systems often involve black holes of unequal mass and display strong wobbling and irregular spin patterns.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Its elevation is around 7,000 feet, leading to cooler and wetter weather patterns for communities surrounding the divide in Douglas, Elbert, and El Paso counties.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Participants were asked to rate interest in 10 topics, including sports, movies, artificial intelligence, music, books and fitness.—
Barbara Mantel,
NBC news,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But many senior figures within the sport point to claims of positive fan feedback, although so far no official numbers have been released to support these claims from the F1 organization.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Executives at United and American Airlines reported similar figures.—
Rio Yamat,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The terms of Chan’s contract are complete, city spokesperson Jennifer Singer wrote in a statement, while noting the city does not comment on personnel matters related to former employees.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The first would allow courts in protection from abuse matters and criminal proceedings to order abusers to wear a GPS monitoring device that enables survivors to track their location in real time, even with alerts to law enforcement.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
These stunning designs can showcase the surrounding landscape or draw attention to striking features like a sleek fence or a bold front door color.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Neel defied the abstract expressionism of her contemporaries with a distinctive style of portraiture that exposed the psychological truth of her subjects.—
Arts Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Coupled with the recent revelation of Banksy's — maybe — true identity, two subjects have been swept from the table of reliable quiz fodder.—
Holly J. Morris,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These adorable multicolor glasses look like they’re inspired by spring garden ornaments.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to carrying her own creations in the 800-square-foot storefront, Wolfer’s inventory includes handmade quilts, greeting cards, oyster shell ornaments and photography on display.—
Sarah Kyrcz,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motifs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motifs. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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