as in external
not being a vital part of or belonging to something
the fact that the ring belonged to your grandmother is extrinsic to its value to a jeweler
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Recent Examples of extrinsic
Warner really was an underdog: he was cut by the Green Bay Packers, and then stocked shelves at a Hy-Vee grocery store, before taking a circuitous route back to the N.F.L. Warner pointed to the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
—
Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
Initially, all participants enter for financial gain—a classic example of extrinsic motivation.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Instead of relying solely on motivation (this video explains the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation), design a routine that incorporates the habits of high performers.
—Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Unfortunately, if all your giving is only in response to being asked, your giving will likely be defensive and outside of your natural motivations (i.e., extrinsic).
—Shane Enete, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for extrinsic
Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
Initially, all participants enter for financial gain—a classic example of extrinsic motivation.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
Instead of relying solely on motivation (this video explains the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation), design a routine that incorporates the habits of high performers.
—Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Unfortunately, if all your giving is only in response to being asked, your giving will likely be defensive and outside of your natural motivations (i.e., extrinsic).
—Shane Enete, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for extrinsic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extrinsic
Adjective
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Moxley's championship reign was marked by lengthy, atypical promos, some hinting at an external figure's involvement with the group, a subplot that ultimately lacked resolution.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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While the prompt provides important information for the model to operate upon, accessing external information sources has traditionally been cumbersome.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But Trump, from his first weeks in office, has instead threatened to render Congress almost irrelevant.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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The constant pressure to fit into society’s molds has become irrelevant.—
Erin McGregor,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Lauren Heller Since Sagittarians are willing to try anything once, the Fire sign resembles Lauren's adventitious persona.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The patchy and adventitious quality of Jameson’s reconstruction must make clear his difference as a thinker.—
Mark Greif,
Harper's Magazine,
26 July 2024
Adjective
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Most of its tweaks, apart from the ones made to Snow White, are superfluous; the film nips and tucks set pieces while padding its nearly two-hour run time with extraneous songs and dialogue.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2025
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While the series may ultimately feel extraneous to anyone already well-aware of terms like cyberbullying and the manosphere, its technical scope is impressive and purposeful, while its persistent empathy helps the ending feel more like a consoling hug than an outraged admonishment.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The coroner’s office ruled the deaths accidental due to blunt force trauma.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2025
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In another show, with a lesser writer, such incongruities could be read as character inconsistencies, accidental oversights, mistakes.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extrinsic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extrinsic. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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