ulterior motives
Concealed true intentions
Ulterior motives are hidden reasons behind someone's actions—intentions they conceal while presenting more acceptable ones.
The phrase implies deception or self-interest: She suspected he had ulterior motives for offering to help.
Someone acting from ulterior motives pursues a private agenda while pretending otherwise.
- hidden agendaUndisclosed true purpose
- manipulativeSkilled at controlling others
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- self-interestConcern for personal advantage
- power playStrategic leverage attempt
machinations · cunning · double dealing · Trojan horse · wolf in sheep's clothing · snake in the grass · ruse · secretive · subterfuges · bait and switch · concealed · false pretenses · virtue signaling · reasons · duplicity · misdirection · hypocrisy · intention
- dirty trickscheating, lying, deceit, trickery, deception
- hidden thingssecrets, agendas, subtext, undercurrents, backstory
- manipulationgaslighting, guilt tripping, blame-shifting, brainwashing, guilt trip
- Hidden Truthssecrets, lies, cover-ups, deception, mysteries
- insincerityinsincerity, phoniness, fakeness, falseness, pretense
- intentionsgoals, aims, I will, purposes, I want
ulterior motivescards on the table
Total openness about intentions
straightforwardness · candor · forthrightness · plain dealing · what you see is what you get
ulterior motivespure motives
Reasons untainted by selfishness
good intentions · good faith · acting in good faith · best intentions · well-meaning
motive, motivation, motivate, motivated, motives, motivating, ulterior, motivational, ulterior motive