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ulterior + noun (motive/aim/purpose)
ulterior 通常作定语，修饰表示动机或目的的名词。
She had an ulterior motive for helping him.
她帮助他另有不可告人的目的。
隐秘的，隐蔽的
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
隐秘的，隐蔽的
hidden or secret, especially of motives
She had an ulterior motive for helping him.
她帮助他另有不可告人的目的。
位于更远处或另一边的
Situated beyond, or on the farther side.
超出明显或显而易见的
Beyond what is obvious or evident.
故意隐瞒以欺骗的
Being intentionally concealed so as to deceive.
She suspected he had an ulterior motive for offering to help.
她怀疑他主动帮忙另有隐情。
His ulterior purpose was to discredit his rival.
他的隐藏目的是诋毁他的对手。
I began to wonder if there was an ulterior reason for his sudden friendliness.
我开始怀疑他突然友好起来是否另有原因。
ulterior 通常作定语，修饰表示动机或目的的名词。
She had an ulterior motive for helping him.
她帮助他另有不可告人的目的。
I suspect he has an ulterior motive for his sudden generosity.
我怀疑他突然慷慨另有目的。
Not this
He achieved his ulterior goal.
Use this
He achieved his ultimate goal.
“ulterior”意为隐秘的、不可告人的，而“ultimate”才表示最终的。此处想要表达最终目标，应使用“ultimate”。
Not this
We will talk about this in a ulterior meeting.
Use this
We will talk about this in a later meeting.
“ulterior”并不表示时间上的“之后”，而是指隐藏的动机。描述后续会议应用“later”或“subsequent”。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
不可告人的动机；隐藏的意图
I don't trust his offer; I suspect he has an ulterior motive.
我不信任他的提议；我怀疑他别有用心。
隐秘的目的；私下的目标
The charity event may have an ulterior purpose beyond raising money.
这场慈善活动可能除了筹款之外还有隐秘的目的。
暗中的计谋；不可告人的企图
Her kindness turned out to be part of an ulterior design.
她的好意原来是一个不可告人的企图的一部分。
不纯的意图；隐藏的心思
He asked for her number with ulterior intentions.
他索要她的电话，带有不可告人的目的。
隐蔽的议程；别有用心的安排
The report seemed factual, but the author had an ulterior agenda.
这份报告看上去客观，但作者另有企图。
不可告人的动机；隐秘的意图
He warned me that her sudden kindness might have an ulterior motive.
他提醒我，她突然的友善可能别有用心。
人人都知道你别有用心。
He insisted he just wanted to help, but I sensed an ulterior motive.
他坚持说只是想帮忙，但我感觉到他另有目的。
Use ulterior naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
想象冰山：露出的部分是 obvious（明显），水下的部分就是 ulterior——超出表面、藏起来的动机。记住 ulterior motive 指不可告人的目的。
语域：neutral 常见场景：新闻报道、日常交谈、文学影视作品 该词表示“故意隐瞒的、另有目的的”时，语气中性偏正式；在讨论行为背后隐藏的动机或意图时比较常见于新闻报道、日常交谈和文学影视作品中。
All six words share the final stressed vowel /ɪə/ and the following sounds /riə/, so they all rhyme with ulterior. The -terior words (interior, exterior, anterior, posterior) also share the spelling chunk -terior. Inferior and superior are lookalikes with different spellings (-ferior/-perior) but the same rhyme. Be careful: ulterior is not pronounced like 'utter' or 'altar'; its -terior part sounds like 'teer-ee-ə', not 'ter'.
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.