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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 comparative
Beginning in 2009, the public could query the Office of Insurance Regulation’s Quarterly and Supplemental Reporting System (QUASR) system for comparative information, including the number of policies written by each company in each of Florida’s 67 counties.
—
Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Dre launched into a comparative analysis.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Peter Bolland, author and longtime professor of philosophy, comparative religion, and mythology, will lead a thoughtful discussion on applying Daoist wisdom today.
—Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
China will continue leading manufacturing scale for the foreseeable future, but the US can build comparative advantage in the circular economy.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Dre launched into a comparative analysis.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Peter Bolland, author and longtime professor of philosophy, comparative religion, and mythology, will lead a thoughtful discussion on applying Daoist wisdom today.
—Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Feb. 2026
China will continue leading manufacturing scale for the foreseeable future, but the US can build comparative advantage in the circular economy.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
-
But Ryer attributed the relative silence to resignation in the face of Democrats' political advantage.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Tuesday's launch was a relative rarity for SpaceX these days — a mission that wasn't devoted to building out the company's giant Starlink broadband megaconstellation.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
