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
Scholars of comparative authoritarianism have long identified the selective application of harsh criminal penalties as a hallmark of illiberal governance.
—
Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
The bill proposes creating a comparative effectiveness review process for prescription drugs on the Medicaid formulary.
—James Hart, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
What makes this noteworthy for the evidence-minded consumer is the comparative data.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
The harder, more important question is what Iran has learned about its own comparative advantage.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026
The bill proposes creating a comparative effectiveness review process for prescription drugs on the Medicaid formulary.
—James Hart, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
What makes this noteworthy for the evidence-minded consumer is the comparative data.
—Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
The harder, more important question is what Iran has learned about its own comparative advantage.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
-
Using Opta’s power rankings to estimate the relative difficulty of each side’s remaining games, Carlos Corberan’s Valencia have the most to fear.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Ultimately, the report states, the video call was a ruse, falsely portraying the child as safe and in the care of a non-relative in California.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
