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
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Recent Examples of prescriptive
Wellness should feel intuitive, not prescriptive.
—
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2026
Flynn is a poet by trade and this memoir is neither linear nor prescriptive.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Until the passage of a constitutional amendment in November 2024 by a margin of 58% to 42%, those same six conditions were part of a state constitution that was unusually prescriptive on rules for absentee voting.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
Whoop’s sleep data tends to be more prescriptive than descriptive.
—Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2026
Flynn is a poet by trade and this memoir is neither linear nor prescriptive.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Until the passage of a constitutional amendment in November 2024 by a margin of 58% to 42%, those same six conditions were part of a state constitution that was unusually prescriptive on rules for absentee voting.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2026
Whoop’s sleep data tends to be more prescriptive than descriptive.
—Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prescriptive
Adjective
-
The States has never been a traditional soccer-loving country, but Tuesday’s turnout provided more evidence there is a committed and passionate fanbase there.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Guests can choose from traditional rooms or spacious one- or two-bedroom suites, some of which have balconies and two-way gas fireplaces.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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The company uses long-term contracts that mimic regulated returns, avoiding the fluctuations customary in deregulated markets.—
Conor Harrison,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
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The rate decision will be the first major policy move overseen by Warsh, who will address reporters during a customary press conference minutes after the central bank issues its announcement.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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The screens offer higher frame rates, greater brightness, deeper blacks and superior contrast ratios compared with conventional digital projectors.—
Marcus Lim,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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The scan can sometimes detect disease that conventional imaging misses, helping physicians better understand the extent of cancer.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prescriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prescriptive. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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