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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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 One reason Chicago’s comparative statistics are now worse than ever is because cities across the country, including Chicago, experienced a significant decline in homicides in recent years. — John Schmidt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026 But that only emphasised United’s comparative lack of structure. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 That speaks volumes of the comparative current state of the two countries’ film industries. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026 While the majority were sampled in comparative tastings with similar wines, some were enjoyed at professional tastings at wineries, at dinner with winemakers, or opened by friends. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
  • The fighting has revived Yemen’s civil war after four years of relative calm.
    — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The midday reversal came as equities sold off, with the S&P 500 dropping more than 1%, leading some investors to rotate back into the relative safety of the bond market.
    — Michelle Fox,Sean Conlon,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 14 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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