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
Kira creates original patterns inspired by traditional Japanese motifs, including wagara, the decorative designs commonly found in kimono textiles.
—
Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Merging the world of racing with feminine touches for fan merch, racing graphic motifs are paired with puff ink, embroidery, vintage-washed and checkerboard patterns for apparel and accessories.
—Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
Indeed, surrealist design motifs abound throughout this top-floor jewel box, which is home to a collector couple and their many artworks.
—Fanny Guénon Des Mesnards, Architectural Digest, 12 May 2026
Mix and match with elevated clover motifs.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
As far as visual motifs go, this one was pretty on the nose.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Glass vases with metallic finishes of unnatural blue, green and gold are drowned in palm leaf motifs, ready to be flowered.
—Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Decadent art, with its mannerism, also its enthusiasm for skulls, swords, strippers, and other Hot Topic motifs, is for some art historians an embarrassing cul-de-sac best passed over in favor of a narrative of formal progress leading inevitably to abstraction.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Kaser’s masterstroke is in compounding these questions of agency with his deft writing style—there are motifs of holes, bottles, and explosions.
—Alastair Shuttleworth, Pitchfork, 2 May 2026
Kansas City Star, 14 May 2026
Merging the world of racing with feminine touches for fan merch, racing graphic motifs are paired with puff ink, embroidery, vintage-washed and checkerboard patterns for apparel and accessories.
—Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
Indeed, surrealist design motifs abound throughout this top-floor jewel box, which is home to a collector couple and their many artworks.
—Fanny Guénon Des Mesnards, Architectural Digest, 12 May 2026
Mix and match with elevated clover motifs.
—ABC News, 12 May 2026
As far as visual motifs go, this one was pretty on the nose.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Glass vases with metallic finishes of unnatural blue, green and gold are drowned in palm leaf motifs, ready to be flowered.
—Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
Decadent art, with its mannerism, also its enthusiasm for skulls, swords, strippers, and other Hot Topic motifs, is for some art historians an embarrassing cul-de-sac best passed over in favor of a narrative of formal progress leading inevitably to abstraction.
—Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Kaser’s masterstroke is in compounding these questions of agency with his deft writing style—there are motifs of holes, bottles, and explosions.
—Alastair Shuttleworth, Pitchfork, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motifs
Noun
-
The basic themes of Hearst’s life and the novels that dramatize it remain distressingly relevant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
-
Marcus Morris-Eyton, a portfolio manager at AllianceBernstein, said the sector’s recent selloff has created more attractive entry points into long-term military spending themes.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The idea is being studied by scientists, who warn that impacts may be unpredictable, including changes in rain patterns, draughts and unforeseen weather changes.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
-
So, too, has ball progression from their initial build-up phase after last summer’s sale of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, as well as a lack of patterns of play in the final third.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
The conservatism that would eventually hobble the daytime soap had its roots in this era, when soap viewers with especially fragile sensibilities had specific conceptions of what topics a soap should cover and made no bones about airing their protests.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The full feature slate spans material on topics including the Southport riots, fracking in West Texas, the Rohingya refugee crisis, bride slavery in India, artificial intelligence and the deforestation of Canada’s Boreal Forest.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Kofman’s article chronicles the path of such ideas from the fringes to the mainstream, outlining their influence on figures such as Peter Thiel, Stephen Miller, and Elon Musk.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
-
State Department figures show 6,066 — or 99% — of the refugees were from South Africa, while the other three hailed from Afghanistan.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Washington required time to finish up a few personal matters.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
This matters because fermentation reduces bitterness and makes plant compounds, especially polyphenols, more available.—
Dr. Steven Gundry,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Having also grown up in Puerto Rico, Soto now intentionally repurposes objects and designs from her childhood into pieces of art that represent life on the small island, such as her upholstered plastic lawn chairs, which are deeply connected to Puerto Rican culture.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
The two-piece creation was the first of two designs from Rose, an Oscar winner.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Instead of being siloed on a separate campus, that support would be offered directly to students in mainstream classrooms across all subjects.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 May 2026
-
The trial had numerous markings of its subjects’ wealth.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The shoes are embellished with asymmetrical crystal leaf ornaments that are hand-embroidered to drape across a low-cut vamp.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
-
The powder is used to decorate removable ornaments on cakes and isn't designed for ingestion.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motifs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motifs. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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