as in relative
being such only when compared to something else
if you consider the multimillionaire's yearly income, we're living in comparative poverty
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Recent Examples of comparative
Nearly 30% of the studies covered in their reference set did not have a comparative group.
—
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
Netflix’s The Boroughs, produced by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, begins life at a comparative disadvantage.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
The war with Iran has resulted in the US, Israel and many US allies in the Gulf burning through significant quantities of their own expensive anti-air missile batteries – often against comparative inexpensive Iranian drones – and those stockpiles will also need to be refilled.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
Brenneman, who grew up in Connecticut, completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard in 1987, majoring in comparative religion.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
Netflix’s The Boroughs, produced by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, begins life at a comparative disadvantage.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
The war with Iran has resulted in the US, Israel and many US allies in the Gulf burning through significant quantities of their own expensive anti-air missile batteries – often against comparative inexpensive Iranian drones – and those stockpiles will also need to be refilled.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 29 May 2026
Brenneman, who grew up in Connecticut, completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard in 1987, majoring in comparative religion.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
-
That relative affordability is prompting some would-be buyers to sign leases instead, a more attainable but often deeply frustrating solution, and one that leaves them unable to accumulate wealth at the pace their parents’ and grandparents’ generations did.—
Jackie Cooperman,
Architectural Digest,
16 June 2026
-
With gold continuing to surge in value, many watchmakers turned to platinum, a distinguished precious metal that suddenly looks like a relative value proposition.—
Paige Reddinger,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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