as in intrinsic
being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing
the proposition that liberty and justice are constitutive elements of an enlightened society
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 constitutive
But the sea also surges through Tennyson’s poetry in a completely different way, although one equally constitutive of his genius.
—
Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Although 90 percent of our people were farmers at the time of our founding nearly 250 years ago, and now only about 1.2 percent are, the fact remains this small percentage is constitutive of all the rest.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
What the poem’s constitutive range of modal verbs exemplify is a mode of poetic questioning.
—Elaine L. Wang
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
There are the constitutive ingredients: her tightknit and loving parents — Marlean, an elementary school teacher, and Paul, a pastor— and their faith and the protective love of Wes.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 11 June 2025
Obviously, this dialectic has been constitutive of Gabriel Orozco’s work from the very beginning and determines it to this very day.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
The globalist gaze on the world identified both interconnectedness and diversity as the constitutive elements of the post-war era.
—Or Rosenboim, Foreign Affairs, 10 July 2017
Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Although 90 percent of our people were farmers at the time of our founding nearly 250 years ago, and now only about 1.2 percent are, the fact remains this small percentage is constitutive of all the rest.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
What the poem’s constitutive range of modal verbs exemplify is a mode of poetic questioning.
—Elaine L. Wang
september 11, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
There are the constitutive ingredients: her tightknit and loving parents — Marlean, an elementary school teacher, and Paul, a pastor— and their faith and the protective love of Wes.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 11 June 2025
Obviously, this dialectic has been constitutive of Gabriel Orozco’s work from the very beginning and determines it to this very day.
—Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025
The globalist gaze on the world identified both interconnectedness and diversity as the constitutive elements of the post-war era.
—Or Rosenboim, Foreign Affairs, 10 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constitutive
Adjective
-
Brown’s ability to verbally drive home even the most cliché message to the point of intrinsic understanding makes the mind gym unique.—
Haley Sawyer,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The brain bug's intrinsic ick factor is undeniably high, but using their proboscises to suck thoughts directly from the brains of their unfortunate victims is a pretty neat party trick.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Whether measured in testosterone levels, bone density, lung capacity, or muscle mass, biological males carry inherent physical advantages over women.—
Lisa Frizell,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The physical dangers inherent in productions at this time were inseparable from the stories appearing onscreen, because simulation was more or less impossible; filmmaking was analog.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Car ownership has long been integral to the American dream.—
Alexa St. John,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But Levinson’s very first movie suggests there’s something more integral missing from his creative formula.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
To those beyond the Jewish community who stand as allies, partnership is essential.—
Igor Alterman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Dust easily collects in the grooves of air vents, and cleaning them regularly is essential to maintain good air quality in your home.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
During the trial, the jurors didn’t realize that Braddy had been on Florida’s Death Row since 2007, when he was convicted, and remained there until he was granted a new sentencing trial due to constitutional issues surrounding the state’s death penalty.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Orbán, replacing Hungary’s liberal constitutional system with a centralized executive model, converted Fidesz’s moral vision into the organizing principle of the state.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constitutive. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
