as in alternative
taking the place of one that came before
his recent religious fanaticism is only the latest substitutive addiction of a person with an addictive personality
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Recent Examples of substitutive
This kind of substitutive logic appears in early case histories of anorexia.
—
Anna Shechtman, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021
This simple, substitutive kind of automation, Mr. Acemoglu and Mr. Restrepo wrote, threatens not just individual workers, but the economy as a whole.
—New York Times, 6 Mar. 2021
Somewhere along the line, a foundational philosophy emerged: Identity is additive, not substitutive.
—Monte Reel, Bloomberg.com, 20 July 2017
Anna Shechtman, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021
This simple, substitutive kind of automation, Mr. Acemoglu and Mr. Restrepo wrote, threatens not just individual workers, but the economy as a whole.
—New York Times, 6 Mar. 2021
Somewhere along the line, a foundational philosophy emerged: Identity is additive, not substitutive.
—Monte Reel, Bloomberg.com, 20 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substitutive
Adjective
-
Goldman Sachs estimated that Qatar could see its GDP plunge by 14%, citing its lack of alternative export channels to the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Papadimitriou noted that the whole shipping industry is trying to drum up exports from alternative regions to keep oil moving and, crucially, to stay employed.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In any case, this new film can be watched without having seen any of the previous chapters, though that’s mostly because the plot is cookie-cutter generic.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
1 May 2026
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Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Northern itineraries bring guests closer to red-footed boobies and alternate habitats.—
David Morris,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2026
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Matt Fitzpatrick and younger brother Alex combined for a 1-under 71 in alternate-shot play Sunday to pull out a dramatic, single-stroke victory in the Zurich Classic team event and usher the younger Fitzpatrick onto the PGA Tour.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Depending on the time of year, substitute in-season veggies.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
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On 100 minutes, substitute Brian Cipenga whipped in a corner from the left that evaded both attacking and defensive players and bounced in off the onrushing Tuanzebe.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The royal pair is set to spend time at the nation's capital, including a formal state dinner at the White House and an address to a joint session of Congress, before venturing to other nearby states.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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On Saturday, Moscow pummeled the central city of Dnipro and other areas for more than twenty hours with barrages of missiles and drones, killing at least seven people.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substitutive. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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