ELECTIVE Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

elective 1 of 2

adjective

i-ˈlek-tiv

Definition of elective

as in optional

subject to one's freedom of choice a plastic surgeon who mainly does face-lifting and other kinds of elective surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

elective

2 of 2

noun

as in refresher

Related Words

as in option

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of elective

Adjective

One 2024 survey of large-company employee benefit plans found that about 21% covered elective egg freezing. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 Interested students could pursue an optional curriculum track or elective concentration in osteopathic principles, available at any accredited school rather than confined to a parallel one. — Abigail MacKenzie, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026

Noun

The district already offered personal finance as an elective before the statewide requirement went into effect. — P.r. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026 Twin Peaks and Meadowbrook are the only two schools that implemented bell schedules that allow students to take more than one elective per year. — Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for elective

Recent Examples of Synonyms for elective

Adjective

Somewhere in South Carolina, a child too young for a second dose of the measles vaccine contracted the virus from someone whose parents had decided, for reasons unrelated to medicine, that vaccination was optional.

— A.J. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
Gay men with a penchant for clothing-optional environments will want to check it out; others should look elsewhere.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of optional

Noun

Starbucks created the refresher back in 2012 to appeal to non-coffee drinkers who wanted a boost, especially in the afternoon, when traffic to its cafes slowed.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
That training doesn’t stop after onboarding, either — employees have to come back for refreshers every year.

— Laurie Mermet, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of refresher

Noun

Activity in the options market also suggests investors are becoming more confident that the rally can last, the research firm highlighted.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026
Because collagen is derived from animal sources, both experts say that there are no real vegetarian collagen options.

— Audrey Noble, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of option

Adjective

State Medicaid programs have a parallel, voluntary pathway to adopt similar pricing under a model known as BALANCE.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
EmpCo prohibits companies from displaying voluntary sustainability labels unless they were established by a public authority or are based on a qualifying certification scheme.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of voluntary

Noun

Stray Ukrainian drones, meanwhile, have been reported to have crashed or been intercepted in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria, with allied officials suggesting that Russian electronic warfare sent the craft off course.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Disney, which had previously greenlit a second season of Wonder Man, had reversed course and canceled the show.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of course

Noun

Competition is likely to be tough for classes that are perceived as easier, or for small-group seminars where a larger number of students would fall within the cap.

— Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
Meanwhile, those hawking self-help books and products and seminars keep making money.

— Evelyn Skye, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of seminar

Noun

Free and charitable clinics scramble to absorb uninsured patients even as Florida’s healthcare squeeze becomes a defining campaign issue, exposing a broader national failure to rein in medical costs.

— Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Their arrival quickly caught the attention of a man who had parked nearby and was walking toward the clinic.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of clinic

Noun

Authorities have introduced new rules in recent years, including a cap on the maximum number of climbers per day and requiring them to take a brief class about hiking safety.

— Chris Lau, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Beyond the dreamy spa treatments, there’s much planned for wellness at Luura, from on-site classes and contrast therapy in the sauna and cold plunge to off-site adventures like hiking and trail running.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of class

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elections

elective

electively

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“Elective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elective. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of elective

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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