ulterior

[uhl-teer-ee-er] / ʌlˈtɪər i ər /

ADJECTIVE

secret; pertaining to a hidden goal

Synonyms

WEAK

ambiguous buried concealed covert cryptic dark enigmatic equivocal guarded hidden implied obscure obscured personal privy remote secondary selfish shrouded under cover under wraps undisclosed undivulged unexpressed unsaid

Antonyms

WEAK

expressed known overt public

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Anybody making a financial pitch to you out of the blue likely has ulterior motives.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

Jones began to suspect that she’d had a previously undetected ulterior motive for moving her book to the past.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

But there is an ulterior motive to her choice that won’t come into focus until the second half of the movie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

However, he thinks Bondi’s deployment of the policy is for ulterior motives.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026

If I feel they have ulterior motives or are the slightest bit disingenuous, I try to shelter the kids from them.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

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