as in medicinal
tending to cure disease or restore health
some believe that the herb has curative properties
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in antidote
something that corrects or counteracts something undesirable
the best curative for her depression might be volunteer work at a local animal shelter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of curative
Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Since there’s no preventive or curative medicine, avoiding infection is the best course of action.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 29 Jan. 2026
Money-minded Venus is squaring curative Chiron, pushing you to match your spending habits with your values (without shaming yourself or others).
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
Scientifically, preventive medicine is always preferred over curative, but what happens when there is neither prevention nor cure?
—Hany Demian, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curative
Adjective
Signature massages use organic oils from the Almescar tree, derived from a bioactive resin which acts as a natural insect repellent, curative panacea, and incense.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Since there’s no preventive or curative medicine, avoiding infection is the best course of action.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 29 Jan. 2026
Money-minded Venus is squaring curative Chiron, pushing you to match your spending habits with your values (without shaming yourself or others).
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
Scientifically, preventive medicine is always preferred over curative, but what happens when there is neither prevention nor cure?
—Hany Demian, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curative
Adjective
-
Both the natural ingredients and medicinal drugs used to treat fungal infections tend to be pungent.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The patient wouldn’t have had the benefit of modern anesthetics, but archaeological traces at other sites suggest Neanderthals knew about medicinal plants like chamomile and yarrow, as well as antiseptics like birch tar.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Polish actor Swiezewski proves a worthy antidote to Manenti’s stolidness, bringing charm and exuberance to their scenes together.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
That show landed in the summer of 2020, right when the country needed a charming, good-hearted antidote to the terrors of COVID lockdown and an impending election.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Our students arrive in crisis — many presenting with self-harm, suicidality, and aggression toward peers and caregivers — having already cycled through psychiatric hospitals, therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and other settings without success.—
Samantha Rappaport,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
-
Future work will focus on loading the microrobots with therapeutic drugs and testing them in living systems.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
In 1935, the owner of the then sad-sack Philadelphia Eagles grew tired of better teams scooping up all the best players, and proposed the draft as a remedy.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The laws of New York authorize such a turnover order generally as a post-judgment enforcement remedy.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The book arrives at a moment when Americans are simultaneously more medication-dependent and more skeptical of purely pharmaceutical solutions than at any point in recent memory.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Counties across the state have been pondering this crisis and devising solutions that can be accomplished in partnership with our state leaders — because this crisis is unquestionably our shared responsibility to solve.—
Monica Montgomery Steppe,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The potential medical interventions are similar to those involved in transitioning — mental health therapy, hormone therapy and surgeries.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
-
The practice has become a major global travel trend as more people — including A-list celebrities — fly abroad specifically for aesthetic care, from facials and Botox to regenerative therapies and full cosmetic procedures.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
There is no antiviral treatment or cure for measles, and doctors generally treat the symptoms or manage complications.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
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Only Lucien, still with a massive crush, will help Jim on his wacky, dangerous quest to track down a cure.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Curative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curative. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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