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
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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
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In a note to clients this week, UBS analyst Brian Meredith estimates Berkshire is trading at an 8% discount to its intrinsic value.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
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Muting the awe factor, this segment downgrades some of the movie’s intrinsic appeal.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Stedman offers a heartfelt homage to the virtues of rural community and the natural beauty unique to Western Australia, as well as a critique of the strictures and dangers inherent in small-minded communities.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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In addition, inherent design flaws contributed to the disaster, notably the graphite end switches of the neutron-absorbing rods.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even with work, school, and extracurricular demands, finding a way to share stories of the day with our families has once again become an integral part of our day-to-day, sometimes with an instantly transformative effect.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
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Having found his home as a No 6 after an awkward introduction at No 10 in the Premier League since joining two years ago after his Lazio contract expired, Kamada has become an integral player.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Also, from the music aspect, timeliness is just an essential part of music.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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In the historical records of Central Florida, there are names that come up again and again — people whose contributions were essential to the changes that shaped the greater Orlando area for generations to come.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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At that point, the White House needs approval from the legislative branch to continue fighting, according to the War Powers Resolution, a law aimed at reasserting Congress’ constitutional role of declaring war.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
2 May 2026
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Her dissent was not only concerned about partisanship; Kagan warned that the Callais decision threatens the fundamentals of how our constitutional democracy works.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constitutive. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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