1
as in reformative
serving to raise or adjust something to some standard or proper condition
eyeglasses are called corrective lenses by the department of motor vehicles
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
a corrective sentence of five years' hard labor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in offset
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective
a substantial outflow of people proved to be the necessary corrective for the spiraling cost of housing
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in antidote
something that corrects or counteracts something undesirable
the only corrective to bad behavior is good, firm discipline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of corrective
Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
The maneuver went so well that the space agency skipped two out of three smaller corrective burns built into the mission’s schedule.
—Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026
Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
The 2025 College Rankings from Washington Monthly offer a corrective.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corrective
Adjective
Teachers have a difficult job today, with parents not having a degree in education telling teachers how to do their jobs, and complaining when the parents don’t like the results when corrective action is taken.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
The maneuver went so well that the space agency skipped two out of three smaller corrective burns built into the mission’s schedule.
—Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
Some of these values—such as a disciplined commitment to physical fitness—are good and, in my opinion, necessary correctives to the enervating distractions of 21st-century living.
—Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
The 2025 College Rankings from Washington Monthly offer a corrective.
—Bruno V. Manno, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for corrective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrective
Adjective
-
As part of the reformative aims of the convict system, many of these men were incarcerated at Fremantle Prison, trained, and put to work on infrastructure projects such as bridges, roads, and public buildings.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Fifty-five years after Martin Luther King's death, African Americans continue to proudly honor his reformative legacy in Phoenix.—
The Arizona Republic,
The Arizona Republic,
14 Jan. 2024
Adjective
-
The United States last year also blocked imports from a major South Korean salt farm accused of using slave labor, becoming the first trade partner to take punitive action against a decadeslong problem on salt farms in islands off the country’s southwest coast.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, human-rights organizations reported repression inside the El Rodeo I prison, where foreign political detainees launched a protest that authorities allegedly responded to with tear gas and punitive measures.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The significance of the fault and recognition of its large cumulative offset would not be fully appreciated until the advent of plate tectonics more than 50 years later.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Lastly, what about those spending offsets?—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The 624-foot Evrima, which is the first in a fleet of three ships emerging over the next few years, is an antidote to mega cruises that still feels massive to anyone who’s ever truly yachted.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
American freedom was the antidote to the icy grip of totalitarianism, whether from Nazis or Communists.—
Peter S. Canellos,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The report notes the beneficial aspects of the smaller districts, while noting difficulties.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Explore unlimited options in choosing beautiful and beneficial natives to plant in your garden.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And a study by the New York City Department of Investigation showed test error rates from 79% to 91% in some correctional settings.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The opportunities extend beyond associate degrees, with some universities offering full bachelor's programs tailored to specific correctional populations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But apart from a few good counter-attacks early on, Spurs struggled to get a foothold in the game, or to stem the flow when Sunderland took control.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The first is a nod to Zao’s assembly-line counter setup, which is similar to the build-your-own concept used by Chipotle Mexican Grill.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In its major settlements with universities, the Administration has shortened the investigation stage and pushed for broad, often unrelated remedies.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
There is a lengthy legal process ahead involving the remedies phase of this trial, which will likely take several months and determine what penalties Live Nation will face as a result of the jury’s verdict.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Corrective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrective. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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