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
Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
To Kean, these attempts to resurrect the past are a refreshing corrective to traditional archeology.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
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
In 2006, the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued a corrective action order, requiring the company to address integrity issues along the entirety of its 3,900-mile Pacific Coast pipelines after a rise in pipeline incidents.
—Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 25 Oct. 2025
To Kean, these attempts to resurrect the past are a refreshing corrective to traditional archeology.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
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
-
Around Austin, bars have stepped up, building nonalcoholic menus that feel intentional, not punitive — and certainly not like a kid’s menu for adults.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The Falcons could restructure Cousins’ deal, but that would only add more possible punitive effects in the future.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Houses have been being built here since the early 1900s, and so there's different offsets.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Top with half of the Nutella, swirling it into the batter with a small offset spatula or a butter knife.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Pelosi became the first speaker to regain the office in some 50 years, and her second term, from 2019 to 2023, became potentially more consequential than the first, particularly as the Democratic Party’s antidote to Trump.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Mamdani is a potential antidote to that malaise.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
It is also expected to be especially beneficial for less experienced boaters who may need additional support at the helm.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Working with clay can be a relaxing experience and provide a beneficial creative outlet for both children and adults.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
According to the release, these activities threaten the safety of correctional staff, inmates, and the public.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
While a correctional officer was proctoring an exam that counted toward Hanson’s master’s degree, Hanson was thinking about USC.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
From behind the counter of his tiny store, The Latin Corner, surrounded by candies, snacks and other goods from his homeland of Venezuela, David Villanueva’s eyes are glued to a flat screen TV.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2026
-
FreshCo has kept its market component, which allows customers to purchase fish or stone crabs at the counter and take them home.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Considering these outcomes, what seems like a speedy remedy can actually create conditions for longer-term problems—both in relation to the environment and the home itself.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The company said a recall remedy is imminent but, until then, owners should park away from structures and refrain from charging vehicles because of fire risks.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Corrective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrective. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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