noun
- reasons for doing something; underlying causes that drive a person’s actions
Usage: plural of motive
Examples
- The detective questioned the suspect’s motives for being at the scene.
- Her motives for volunteering were purely altruistic.
- The company’s motives behind the merger were primarily financial.
- We should examine our own motives before judging others.
- His motives for studying medicine included helping people and job security.
- The politician’s true motives remained unclear to voters.