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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Recent Examples of motif
Such a circular motif serves both to reassert a theme and to show, presumably, how much the characters have changed by the end of the film.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
The staircase connecting the floors was rebuilt, and as a central motif of the redesign, Pöppler gave the passageways round arches.
—Ulrich Clewing, Architectural Digest, 12 Jan. 2025
Kansas City eked out the narrowest of wins — a season’s motif if there ever was one.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Rather, the objects, motifs, and designs serve as expressed cultural values.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for motif 
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2025
The staircase connecting the floors was rebuilt, and as a central motif of the redesign, Pöppler gave the passageways round arches.
—Ulrich Clewing, Architectural Digest, 12 Jan. 2025
Kansas City eked out the narrowest of wins — a season’s motif if there ever was one.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Rather, the objects, motifs, and designs serve as expressed cultural values.
—Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for motif
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motif
Noun
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Unlike those series, Paradise never convincingly builds out its world or gives us characters rich enough to deepen our engagement with the themes.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
24 Jan. 2025
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With the theme Ambition vs. Action, the full-day event will dive into why there is a chasm between good intentions and actual impact and how the industry can bridge the difference.—
SJ STAFF,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Let the past inform your future, but try not to get stuck in old patterns.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
24 Jan. 2025
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March babies are treated to a daffodil pattern, while June gets honeysuckle, and so on.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Rachel Montañez has been a Forbes contributor since 2018, covering burnout, well-being in the workplace, and career advancement topics.—
Rachel Montanez,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
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The child tax credit was also a popular topic during the presidential race in 2024, with both Trump and then-Vice President Kamala Harris publicly supporting the tax break, but disagreeing on who should get it.—
Jeremy Tanner,
The Hill,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Next-Generation of All-Electric RVing As with the early prototype, the Flow features thoughtfully appointed interiors and a sleek design that Pebble says is designed to reduce drag.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Jan. 2025
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As usual, an A-list crowd of celebrities came out in droves to witness the new designs from Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Then there’s the matter of his authoritarian socialist state – on the far side of the ideological spectrum from Trump’s rightwing MAGA movement.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN,
20 Jan. 2025
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Separately, Reuters reported Friday that Glencore approached Rio Tinto late last year about the possibility of combining their businesses, citing a source familiar with the matter.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The nurse then tried to clarify her earlier question.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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At that time, Trump initially picked Ratcliffe to lead the nation's spy agencies earlier in his first term, but withdrew his name amid questions about his qualifications for the role.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Motif.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motif. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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