comparative

adjective

kəm-ˈper-ə-tiv How to pronounce comparative (audio)
Definition of comparativenext
as in relative
being such only when compared to something else if you consider the multimillionaire's yearly income, we're living in comparative poverty

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 comparative This may be because mothers of other species have different ways of conserving energy, says Malin Lilley, a comparative psychologist at Texas A&M University, who wasn’t involved in the new study. — Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 22 July 2026 Shares in chipmakers Samsung and TSMC in particular saw big gains from comparative lows, as investors bet that semiconductor demand would continue; tech-heavy benchmarks in South Korea, Taiwan, and China all rose. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 Following is not necessarily a bad thing, assuming the government does not listen to the lobbyists and instead plays to the United States’ comparative advantage. — Christian Catalini, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Discussions like these inform how Red Bull use their comparative advantage. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
  • The drug’s relative obscurity has allowed its champions to shake off the baggage of the nineteen-sixties, and to position its use, not as hippie hedonism but as a medical intervention compatible with patriotic duty and Christian faith.
    — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Eliminating the Income Tax, and reducing Payroll Taxes to levels that people are actually willing to pay, would almost guarantee that El Salvador’s relative per-capita GDP begins to rise.
    — Nathan Lewis, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of relative

Browse Nearby Words

comparable
comparative
compare
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Cite this Entry

“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on comparative

Nglish: Translation of comparative for Spanish Speakers

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