as in alternative
taking the place of one that came before
his recent religious fanaticism is only the latest substitutive addiction of a person with an addictive personality
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Recent Examples of substitutive
This kind of substitutive logic appears in early case histories of anorexia.
—
Anna Shechtman, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021
This simple, substitutive kind of automation, Mr. Acemoglu and Mr. Restrepo wrote, threatens not just individual workers, but the economy as a whole.
—New York Times, 6 Mar. 2021
Somewhere along the line, a foundational philosophy emerged: Identity is additive, not substitutive.
—Monte Reel, Bloomberg.com, 20 July 2017
Anna Shechtman, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021
This simple, substitutive kind of automation, Mr. Acemoglu and Mr. Restrepo wrote, threatens not just individual workers, but the economy as a whole.
—New York Times, 6 Mar. 2021
Somewhere along the line, a foundational philosophy emerged: Identity is additive, not substitutive.
—Monte Reel, Bloomberg.com, 20 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substitutive
Adjective
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The alternative story of Helen’s Egyptian detour invites a more critical examination of the relationship between war and story by highlighting the degree to which humans have been conditioned by a narrative that presents war as the ultimate stage for personal and national glory.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
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Second, the government data flow has been choppy in October, but alternative indicators and prior releases still point to slower growth alongside inflation that remains above target but trending less sticky at the margin.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After being integrated, this system will demonstrate its capabilities in live-fire tests – advancing the Department of War’s effort to evaluate and accelerate new, cost-effective strike capabilities for conventional deterrence.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Oct. 2025
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Fifth Third Bank is also looking to open a new branch on Golden Bear Gateway near Costco in December, O'Meara said.—
Andy Humbles,
Nashville Tennessean,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Haeckel’s Italian trip was part of a surreptitious alternate life plan.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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The logos also pay homage to the show by featuring several branding elements at the heel and tongue, which reference the show’s alternate dimension, the Upside Down.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Georgia was attending college part time and working as a substitute grade-school teacher.—
Bob Cary,
Outdoor Life,
15 Oct. 2025
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Last month, Mayor Cavalier Johnson's administration proposed a change to the city's vehicle registration through a substitute ordinance that would see the annual fee jump from $30 to $40.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Times’ error immediately garnered write-ups in The Washington Post, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and other outlets.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Those same records also showed that the only other purchases of BAM in the state of Colorado had been from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife agency and the National Parks Service — both of which maintained careful records of any use of the drug, per the indictment.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Substitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substitutive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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