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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Recent Examples of comparative
Loved by Emma Roberts, the Aria 5° is a pointed-toe beauty that, unlike many comparative flats, won’t leave you with blisters or soreness at the end of a long day on your feet.
—
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
Valparaiso University will launch its new major in religious studies, a program that encourages students to explore and engage with religion as a lived, cross-cultural and comparative discipline, according to a release.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2025
Bahamonde, who had a master’s in comparative linguistics, had worked on several local shows, including the first show that Channel 23 produced in Miami.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
This unusual gap—low current approval but historically high comparative standing—reflects the deep partisan divides shaping U.S. politics.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
Valparaiso University will launch its new major in religious studies, a program that encourages students to explore and engage with religion as a lived, cross-cultural and comparative discipline, according to a release.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 2025
Bahamonde, who had a master’s in comparative linguistics, had worked on several local shows, including the first show that Channel 23 produced in Miami.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
This unusual gap—low current approval but historically high comparative standing—reflects the deep partisan divides shaping U.S. politics.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for comparative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comparative
relative
Adjective
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It could have been seen as a sign that the club, who had won the most recent of their 18 league titles over 20 years before, could not hold onto their top players in the face of pressure from moneyed and successful relative newcomers at the top table.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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The report highlights that the relative weight of the audiovisual sector in the Madrid economy is also bigger in terms of employment – 2.8% of Madrid region vs. 2.1% of Spain.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Comparative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comparative. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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