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 For survivors scattered around the world scrambling for sanctuary, Toon and his group say Australia might emerge as a comparative safe-haven, with only minor disruptions to its cultivation of wheat and other crops. — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 16 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 Karim Kattan was born in 1989 in Jerusalem, grew up in Bethlehem, and holds a doctorate in comparative literature. — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026 She was born and raised in Rockland County, New York, and graduated from Binghamton University with a double major in comparative literature and Judaic studies. — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 3 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

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 1 Sep. 2026.

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