motif

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.

The black-and-white smiley motif of the Vertigo, an events space, sat right next to her face, just happy to be there, it seemed, above a painted sign that says “Ready to Party?”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The team noted that this hand stencil stands out as a unique variation of a common motif.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

Lest we forget, the Iraq War–era jingoism that inflected American pop culture at the time was also a fundamental motif of the 2000s internet.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

But it’s less clear whether a poet searching for a metaphor or a composer developing a motif works by gridding constraints and digging methodically.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Like a motif, a subject has often changed when it reappears, sounding higher or lower, for example, or faster or slower.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones