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
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
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
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Business executives have already poured millions of dollars into groups that oppose the billionaire tax or are promoting alternative solutions to wealth inequality.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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Residents should clear dead or dying vegetation around their homes, landscape with fire-resistant plants and nonflammable ground cover, and find alternative ways to dispose of landscape debris, according to Cal Fire’s Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit.—
Haley Parsley,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Students at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill designed and 3D-printed a new version of the vuvuzela, the loud plastic horn that became infamous during past international soccer tournaments.—
Kenny Choi,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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Morgan and Tilis have other potential extensions to sort out over the next few months, as cornerback Mike Jackson and quarterback Bryce Young are among potential candidates for new deals.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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The area was expected to be closed for several hours, according to police, who advised residents to seek alternate routes.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
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This burgeoning category received a further boost when one Paul Sperry slipped on the deck of his schooner, inspiring the American sailor to look for an alternate form of traction.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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Court filings obtained by PEOPLE previously revealed that McBee was ordered to surrender several luxury watches — including a Rolex Daytona and two Tag Heuer timepieces — as substitute assets toward satisfying the money judgment tied to the case.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
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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
Adjective
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Under California law, police agencies are generally required to release to the public audio and video recordings of police shootings and other critical incidents involving great bodily injury within 45 days of the incident.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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There are other awards given to restaurants and the hospitality industry but the James Beard Foundation, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, puts a premium on discovery and on American cuisine.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Substitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/substitutive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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