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
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Another popular industrial stock, GEV, appears to be emerging from a corrective phase within the context of its long-term uptrend.
—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for corrective
Adjective
Writing was a corrective to my reality, which felt incoherent.
—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Another popular industrial stock, GEV, appears to be emerging from a corrective phase within the context of its long-term uptrend.
—
Katie Stockton,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
Noun
His most ambitious series to date, Pluribus can be seen as a corrective of sorts—a grand, artful, mind-bendingly philosophical, darkly funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but consistently humane vindication of our fractious species.
—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for corrective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corrective
Adjective
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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.
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Fifty-five years after Martin Luther King's death, African Americans continue to proudly honor his reformative legacy in Phoenix.
Adjective
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Woods is seeking compensatory, punitive, and statutory damages in an amount to be determined at trial.
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The Thunder traded guards Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks, respectively, shedding their contracts to try to duck under the NBA’s punitive second-apron threshold.
Noun
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Micron fees ‘offset’ planning costs Micron announced its Boise investment in September 2022, just as the city was wrapping up its fiscal year.
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Unlike private debts, these types of federal debts can sometimes result in benefit offsets or other collection actions.
Noun
-
Kara’s after Krem, too, after the space pirate poisons Krypto the Superdog and has the antidote to save him.
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Kara and Ruthye team up to find the antidote, save the super-pup and foil the Brigands' intergalactic human-trafficking scheme.
Adjective
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Human minds would have to ensure that that bounty got distributed in socially beneficial ways.
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Syn explains that the starter is created by combining flour and water, allowing naturally occurring wild yeast and beneficial bacteria to grow over time.
Adjective
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Modern correctional systems must ensure that participation remains voluntary and that inmates of all faiths—or no faith at all—receive equal treatment.
-
The teen told a Washington County correctional employee who was visiting her school for a career fair in April.
Noun
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The family opted instead for a grill and small fridge, with a wood counter built around it to give a cohesive look.
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Line dance at lunch The line inside Boss Hog on Tuesday stretched from the ordering counter to the entrance, which isn’t saying much since, according to Catawba County property records, the entire building is about 1,200 square feet.
Noun
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The defense team also pointed to another Utah criminal case in which prosecutors were accused of contempt and suggested that one potential remedy would be to bar the state from seeking the death penalty.
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The main remedy Robinson’s defense suggested if prosecutors were held in contempt was for the death penalty to be removed as a possible punishment, should Robinson be convicted.
Cite this Entry
“Corrective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corrective. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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