1
as in matter
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
3
as in reason
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
as in to motivate
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of motive
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Police have not identified a motive for the shooting.
—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Apr. 2026
Police have not yet identified a suspect or motive for the shooting, and have not released the identity of the victim.
—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motive
Noun
Whatever the real motive, foreign customers—including many of Europe’s Fortune 500—became collateral damage in a dispute between the administration and one of America’s leading AI developers.
—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Police have not identified a motive for the shooting.
—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Verb
Investigators have not released details of a suspect or motive for the gunfire.
—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Apr. 2026
Police have not yet identified a suspect or motive for the shooting, and have not released the identity of the victim.
—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for motive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motive
Noun
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The news comes as Lackland Air Force Base in Texas — home to the Air Force's Basic Military Training program — grapples with a flu outbreak that has infected 275 people in recent weeks, a congressional staffer with knowledge of the matter told CBS News.
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To make matters worse, microbiome testing has gotten cheaper and faster, but not more accurate.
Noun
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The Oscar-winning actress’ dress was comprised of pink lace and featured semi-sheer fabric beneath the botanical motifs throughout the delicate material.
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But lucky visitors to the pope or Secretariat of State walk along it en route to their audiences and are treated to biblical scenes, from the Old Testament and New, as well as botanical motifs in painting and stucco.
Noun
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There are good reasons to do so again, though as contenders acquiring young talent is not a necessity for the Pacers.
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However, Gen Zers also cited reasons for not finding such meaning.
Verb
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Mars activates your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources, motivating you to tackle sensitive matters with courage and protect what truly matters.
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However, researchers say the date at which a person joined can indicate whether it was ideologically motivated.
Noun
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Its summer program is built as a four or five-day series, with each two-hour session focused on a theme like pastry-making or global flavors.
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The first box was the Snack Blind Box, and the second box was the Fiber Blind Box, meaning Wednesday's drop will be one of the other two themes.
Noun
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Instead of a hallway of bedrooms under a single roof, the sleeping spaces are dispersed across the property, each with direct access to the gardens — a design more commonly found in tropical destinations than in a tony coastal enclave about 35 miles north of San Francisco.
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The production design floored me.
Noun
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And whereas Fischer described without judgment the family patterns, social customs, and religious lineage of his four groups, Reynolds contrasts his two on ideological and ultimately moral grounds.
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Aberdeen Proving Grounds are, in effect, Akehurst’s grounds to care for.
Verb
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With the country cash-strapped, the Arab Spring of 2011 set off a wave of mass migration into Europe, which coincided with the widespread perception that the extra numbers were placing further strains on already creaking resources of jobs, housing and healthcare.
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Prosecutors said that the group launched a premeditated terror attack on the detention facility inspired by antifa ideology, by setting off fireworks, vandalizing property, and shooting at police officers who responded.
Cite this Entry
“Motive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motive. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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