INCEPTIVE Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

inceptive

adjective

Definition of inceptive

as in initial

beginning to come into existence only just recently gained an inceptive understanding of the overwhelming vastness of the universe

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of inceptive Vaccinating our faculty and staff is our first step toward keeping our schools open and safe and will be inceptive to reopening our economy. — Margaret W. Long, chicagotribune.com, 19 Nov. 2020

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inceptive

Adjective

Sguros was listed as the informant on West’s death certificate, the affidavit said, and several months after the initial death investigation, Sguros was legally authorized to release West’s remains to a cremation service business.

— Angie DiMichele, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
The initial demonstration establishes a technical milestone, but further testing and evaluation will determine its broader utility.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of initial

Adjective

And in Serbia, the victorious Student List still has to stand up a government, a prime minister, and a full policy platform — something the nascent movement has never done before.

— Caitlin Dewey, Vox, 26 Oct. 2026
Its nascent democratic system confronted entrenched social hierarchies of caste and power.

— Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of nascent

Adjective

That the first foreign policy message after the victory went to Moscow, and through a Russian state outlet, says a good deal about where the new government’s instincts lie.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
After a short teaser clip lit up the internet with news of their return, Dead Man’s Bones—the duo of Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields—are officially back with their first new music in 17 years.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of first

Adjective

For instance, in 1970 the mathematician John Conway introduced the Game of Life, where an elementary set of rules governing the movement of pixels on a screen leads to remarkably rich ecosystems.

— Noah Giansiracusa, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Research from a Texas Christian University professor shows elementary students who get an hour of outdoor play daily perform better in the classroom.

— Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of elementary

Adjective

The incipient differences increased after the Civil War intensified hostilities and cultural differences between the North and South.

— Valerie M. Fridland, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
My ‘Deborah Vance Show senior writer’ persona was kind of a rude complainer with an incipient alcohol problem.

— Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of incipient

Adjective

Morrison, in her thrall, put aside his skiing career and his inchoate dreams of Everest, and instead, with his characteristic intensity, tried his hand at home construction.

— Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
When she, like many other comely Vanderpump employees, entangled in each other’s lives and shifts, was asked to be on Vanderpump Rules, Ajir was hesitant about its potential impact on Madix’s inchoate acting career.

— Anna Peele, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of inchoate

Browse Nearby Words

inceptions

inceptive

incertitude

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“Inceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inceptive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inceptive

adjective

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