Definition of substitutivenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 substitutive At the top end, its role is more augmentative than substitutive, and its impact more incremental than disruptive or transformational. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for substitutive
Adjective
  • For Kering, the six-piece collection is a vote of confidence for alternative materials.
    Bella Webb, Vogue, 11 June 2026
  • On public safety, Raman said city leaders have focused too heavily on increasing police staffing without doing enough to reduce demands on officers through alternative response programs.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • That stands in contrast to the Nasdaq, which has already moved to fast-track SpaceX's inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index, leading to concerns that new retail investors could become the cash cow of exit liquidity for legacy SpaceX shareholders.
    Katie Foley, CNBC, 5 June 2026
  • With Fairfield High’s graduation set to be held Friday, community members started a petition calling for it to be moved to a new location.
    Seamus Bozeman Follow, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Adjective
  • If the alternate winner also fails to comply, the Prize will remain unawarded.
    AJC.com, AJC.com, 8 June 2026
  • What’s an alternate title for your show?
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 8 June 2026
Adjective
  • Morrison pushed back, making a substitute motion to adopt the budget as presented by staff and revisit the item in August.
    Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
  • Many substitute compact sand, faux turf, or clay blends.
    Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 3 June 2026
Adjective
  • This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.
    Bay Area Home Report, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
  • Sony is underway on a search for a new star and other cast members.
    Pat Saperstein, Variety, 9 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Substitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substitutive. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster