SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
ulterior
adjective
Hidden beyond the stated or obvious purpose, especially of a motive.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Hidden behind the stated purpose
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topUlterior motives are not the openly stated motives. Secondary concerns importance or order and does not necessarily imply concealment.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See ulterior in use
She wondered whether the unusually generous offer had an ulterior motive.
During questions, a guest asked whether the organizers would sell attendees' contact details. The host began to obfuscate the issue with vague remarks about 'community opportunities.' Lina noticed the equivocation and repeated the question in plain language. She wondered whether there was an ulterior commercial purpose, but she waited for a direct answer before drawing a conclusion.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license