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
-
Many working families need alternative hours that only private childcare providers can offer.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Large alternative asset managers such as Apollo Global Management and TPG have also unveiled sports units.—
Luisa Beltran,
Sportico.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Tottenham have been awful at home this season, but with the ‘new-manager bounce’ and also the derby energy, the game might be less one-sided than people expect.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
She’ll be given new clothes, Dana assures her.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
If a friend cancels or a team changes venues, respond with alternate options rather than vague guilt.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Members who have alternate plans will still wear white, according to a spokesperson for the group.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Brown slowly migrated back into what is now a full-time sports reporting job, except for the occasional substitute role as a news anchor.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Feb. 2026
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The 21-year-old has started just three Premier League games and made seven substitute appearances in half a season at Molineux, and has made minimal impact under current head coach Rob Edwards.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Since first taking place in the 1940s, cloud seeding experiments have raised concern over potential environmental and ecological risks and stoked regional security tensions, with countries accusing each other of stealing rain.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The committee approved the East Village Green item 3-0 as part of the consent agenda, meaning it was considered routine and grouped alongside other items for approval with minimal discussion.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substitutive. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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