as in traditional
based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation
even in this age of e-mail the prescriptive response to a wedding gift is a handwritten thank-you note
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prescriptive
Today, geopolitical pressures and a more prescriptive regulatory environment—especially surrounding AI—have only entrenched the decision.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
The designer's favorite art pieces feel collected, considered, and personal rather than prescriptive.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
The postpartum rebound, however, was much less prescriptive and more on their own terms.
—Kayla Blanton, Outside, 13 Feb. 2026
At its core, Carrier frames the museum’s responsibility as preservational rather than prescriptive.
—William Jones, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
Charlie Campbell, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
The designer's favorite art pieces feel collected, considered, and personal rather than prescriptive.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
The postpartum rebound, however, was much less prescriptive and more on their own terms.
—Kayla Blanton, Outside, 13 Feb. 2026
At its core, Carrier frames the museum’s responsibility as preservational rather than prescriptive.
—William Jones, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prescriptive
Adjective
-
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported two separate Israeli strikes on two vehicles, one in the seafront town of Saadiyat and another on a coastal highway in neighboring Jiyeh, around 12 miles south of Beirut and outside Hezbollah's traditional strongholds.—
Tucker Reals,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Last December, the airline launched service between Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in Los Angeles and Kahului Airport (OGG) in Maui, offering a semi-private experience that sits somewhere between commercial first class and a traditional private jet.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a break from the three-year rotation between New York City, Cleveland, and Los Angeles that has become customary in recent years.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Gabbana, 63, took his customary bow at the fashion house's last runway show in February, flanked by Dolce, with the designers' longtime muse pop superstar Madonna, as a front-row guest.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But Jude’s subsequent movies have gone in a less conventional direction.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
However, the party piece is that the air trapped under the wing creates a high-pressure cushion effect with a lift-to-drag ratio beyond that of a conventional aircraft.—
David Szondy
April 13,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prescriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prescriptive. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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