View synonyms for

ulterior motive

[ uhl-teer-ee-er moh-tiv ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a secret reason for doing something; a purpose, often the main purpose, that is kept hidden:
When his enemy the Sheriff of Nottingham calls for an archery contest, Robin Hood suspects an ulterior motive, namely, to flush Robin out of hiding.
It turns out she had an ulterior motive for being so friendly and helpful—she was a con artist hoping to sign me up.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ulterior motive¹

First recorded in 1800–10

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But there’s an ulterior motive at play, according to Bruce.

From

In response, Kenya's foreign ministry said there was "no ulterior motive" in "providing non-partisan platforms to conflict parties".

From

But the “Severance” creator reveals an ulterior motive in that confrontation.

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“It’s not unwelcome,” says Andrew Brown, Neon’s president of digital distribution, laughing over Zoom when this possibly devious ulterior motive is mentioned.

From

Schwartz claims his curiosity serves an ulterior motive: “I love learning about people and I’m not as comfortable talking about myself.”

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Related Words

ulterior ultima

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