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
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
Our back-and-forths with a chatbot, in turn, exteriorize our private, internal dialogues, which some consider constitutive of thought itself.
—Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 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
Art critic Eva Diaz, writing for ArtReview, says that
Of the ‘creative’ pursuits, architecture is among the most dependent on big piles of capital in order to get its work off the ground: patronage is a constitutive yoke of the profession.
—Matt Shaw, Forbes, 28 Feb. 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
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
Our back-and-forths with a chatbot, in turn, exteriorize our private, internal dialogues, which some consider constitutive of thought itself.
—Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 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
Art critic Eva Diaz, writing for ArtReview, says that
Of the ‘creative’ pursuits, architecture is among the most dependent on big piles of capital in order to get its work off the ground: patronage is a constitutive yoke of the profession.
—Matt Shaw, Forbes, 28 Feb. 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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Unlike stocks or bonds, physical silver doesn't rely on corporate earnings or central bank policy to hold intrinsic value.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Those characterizations are intrinsic to the series, and Bridgerton won’t stray from them, but they’re creatively outmatched by Sophie’s commitment to advocating for the working class.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Hungerstone is a delicious tribute to the inherent horrors of womanhood and the desperate and exquisite vulgarity of desire.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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But Swims buckled into the ballad, standing tall and belting through the song’s inherent ache.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Everyone who pays attention knows that Lehkonen is an excellent, all-around player and an integral part of the Avalanche machine.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
7 Feb. 2026
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For luxury fashion content creator Cassie Thorpe, pajamas are an integral part of her daily routine.—
John Monaco,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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What terrifies Iran’s theocrats the most, the fear that eclipses all their fears, is the ability of the people at large to clearly see the essential realities of the present regime.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
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In recent years, neighborhoods like Harambee and Clark Square lost essential resources when Walgreens closed its locations on King Drive and West National Avenue in 2024.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Upholding constitutional checks, civilian control and the rule of law is vital to maintaining public trust and democratic stability.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
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Historically, Congress has played a role in facilitating access for voters through statute and constitutional amendments.—
Carolyn Cavecche,
Oc Register,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Constitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constitutive. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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