Dictionary

ulterior motive en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. An alternative or extrinsic reason for doing something, especially when concealed or when differing from the stated or apparent reason.
   • There lurks no bribe in the smell and beauty of the flower. Its charm has no ulterior motive. 1895, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 9, in The Stark Munro Letters:
   • I have an ulterior motive, of course. I want a progress report on the catalog. You've been so mysterious about the whole thing, people are starting to talk. 2006, Philip Sington, Zoia's Gold, Scribner, →ISBN, page 197:
   • The poet is a man without a profit or any other kind of ulterior motive. 1941 December 8, “Poetry”, in Time:

Forms

Relateds

hidden agenda

Translations (32)

nl verborgen beweegredenen (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · fr arrière-pensée (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · fi taka-ajatus (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ja 下心 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · cmn 不可告人的動機 /不可告人的动机 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ru скры́тый моти́в (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ko 배후목적 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · sh скривени мотив (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · fr motif secret (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · de Hintergedanke (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ga aidhm fholaigh (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · tr art niyet (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · mk задна цел (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ja 他心 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · es motivación oculta (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · es motivo oculto (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ja 他意 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · cmn 他心 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · sv baktanke (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ca segona intenció (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · cmn 別有用心 /别有用心 (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · ru за́дняя мысль (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · da bagtanke (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · es segunda intención (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · el υστεροβουλία (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · pt segunda intenção (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · no baktanke (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · hu hátsó szándék (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · lad ramayu (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · tr art düşünce (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · sh skriveni motiv (alternative or hidden reason for doing something) · fr idée derrière la tête (alternative or hidden reason for doing something)