Basis and Motive

Similar meaning words

Basis noun - An immaterial thing upon which something else rests.

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Motive is a synonym for basis in reason topic. In some cases you can use "Motive" instead a noun "Basis", when it comes to topics like cause.

Nearby Word: basic

Motive noun - A major object of interest or concern (as in a discussion or artistic composition).

Usage example: the principal motive of the piece was introduced in the flute section

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Basis is a synonym for motive in reason topic. You can use "Basis" instead a noun "Motive", if it concerns topics such as thing, foundation.

good	good basis	good motive
clear	clear basis	clear motive
similar	similar basis	similar motive
common	common basis	common motive
Other adjectives: original, initial, obvious, simple, logical, strong, actual, entire, real, little, main, personal, major, sole, primary.

His videos that he mailed to NBC directly stated that this was his motive (although, the truth is that Cho was severely mentally ill and his motive had little basis in reality).

Source: Who's Laughing Now?
Later on, the motive for her murder is that she used a friend's sister's disease as the basis for a best-selling novel, driving the sister to suicide and her friend to murder her.

Source: Jerkass / Anime
Westbury demonstrates downright hatred of these sorts of people and how they go about doing things - this is the entire basis of his Motive Rant.

Source: Video Game / 1213

Cite this Source

Motive and Basis. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/basis/motive

Basis & Motive. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/basis/motive>.

Motive or Basis. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/basis/motive.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "basis" and "motive" have occurred on timeline