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
Research shows that people often engage in what psychologists call comparative guilt.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Thanks to audio production’s lower costs and comparative simplicity, once Williams and Storrie signed on, things moved quickly.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
In other words, in fields where data is scarce, humans retain a comparative advantage.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
More comparative research would help governments and humanitarian agencies target investments more effectively.
—Ilana Seff, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Thanks to audio production’s lower costs and comparative simplicity, once Williams and Storrie signed on, things moved quickly.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
In other words, in fields where data is scarce, humans retain a comparative advantage.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
More comparative research would help governments and humanitarian agencies target investments more effectively.
—Ilana Seff, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
-
The case’s top count is attempted murder, but the relative culpability of each defendant is in question by their defense attorneys and could be a focus of the trial, which is expected to take about two and a half weeks.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated February 17,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Feb. 2026
-
After that, there’s pressure to deliver relative immediate results such as what recently transpired in Seattle, New England, Chicago and Denver.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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