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

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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 Missouri and Kansas use different comparative fault rules, so the state line can change what compensation may be available. — Matthew Kayser, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026 Harper arrived at Bates College in Maine in 2020 as an idealistic new PhD in comparative literature, grateful for the tenure-track job that promised him that rarest of prizes these days — a career in the humanities. — Gary Rosen, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026 The Foreign Pollution Fee builds on an American comparative advantage in emissions. — Bill Cassidy, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2026 Still others are noted for comparative advantages that can be exploited, like the cost of labor, strategic port access, lax customs enforcement or free trade zones. — Laura Curtis, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
  • Paramount brass resisted casting a relative unknown named Al Pacino, whose only previous starring film role was as a junkie in The Panic in Needle Park.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Even after selling the team 10 months ago, morphing the Lakers from a relative mom-and-pop shop to a massive corporation, the presence of the Buss family still couldn’t be missed.
    — Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of relative

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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 4 Sep. 2026.

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