prescriptive

adjective

pri-ˈskrip-tiv How to pronounce prescriptive (audio)
Definition of prescriptivenext
as in traditional
based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation even in this age of e-mail the prescriptive response to a wedding gift is a handwritten thank-you note

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 prescriptive The same data show declining enthusiasm for many prescriptive pro-DEI proposals. — Scott M. Curran, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 Clubs had previously been provided with an implementation roadmap for a security baseline that was described in 2024 as non-prescriptive, but the 2026-27 rules introduce formal requirements and deadlines that clubs must meet. — Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 The designer’s favorite art pieces feel collected, considered, and personal rather than prescriptive. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Aug. 2026 Nilsson’s debut feature is a tender, unflinching portrait of self-performance, identity, and learning to exist as oneself in an often prescriptive world. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prescriptive
  1. traditional
  2. customary
  3. conventional
Adjective
  • The conversation also addressed AI, with Velazquez comparing current anxieties to earlier fears that computer animation and motion capture would eliminate traditional animation jobs.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Fans care about rivalries among teams made up of students who generally progress through college and exhaust their eligibility alongside their classmates, rather than athletes whose college careers extend well beyond the traditional timeline.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of traditional
Adjective
  • Flanagan’s customary whip pans are here to surprise us with characters lurking outside the frame, but this isn’t a story with many external supernatural threats, and tension doesn’t build.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The customary counter and high chairs that once held pecan waffles and smothered hash browns have been replaced with a long bodega-style service counter.
    — Sheeka Sanahori, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of customary
Adjective
  • Aside from its visual distinctiveness, red diesel shares an identical chemical composition with conventional highway diesel.
    — , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The capability needed to run AI at studio level will not be found solely within the conventional media and entertainment system.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of conventional

Browse Nearby Words

prescriptions
prescriptive
prescripts
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Cite this Entry

“Prescriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prescriptive. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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