substitutive

adjective

sub·​sti·​tu·​tive ˈsəb-stə-ˌtü-tiv 

-ˌtyü-

: serving or suitable as a substitute

substitutively adverb

Synonyms of substitutive

• alternative
• new
• alternate
• substitute
• other

Examples of substitutive in a Sentence

his recent religious fanaticism is only the latest substitutive addiction of a person with an addictive personality

Recent Examples on the Web

This kind of substitutive logic appears in early case histories of anorexia. — Anna Shechtman, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021

At the top end, its role is more augmentative than substitutive, and its impact more incremental than disruptive or transformational. — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for substitutive

• constitutive

Medical Definition

substitutive

adjective

sub·​sti·​tu·​tive ˈsəb-stə-ˌt(y)üt-iv 

: serving or suitable as a substitute

substitutive behavior

substitutively adverb