as in intrinsic
being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing
the proposition that liberty and justice are constitutive elements of an enlightened society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 constitutive
Latin Americans have seen themselves as constitutive of America for as long as Americans in the United States have cast Latin Americans as outsiders.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
Art critic Eva Diaz, writing for ArtReview, says that
Of the ‘creative’ pursuits, architecture is among the most dependent on big piles of capital in order to get its work off the ground: patronage is a constitutive yoke of the profession.
—Matt Shaw, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Homoeroticism is of course constitutive of a great deal of classical statuary.
—Richard Meyer, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
After his beginnings at Modern Collections, Philbrick delved into corrupt financial machinations, enabled and empowered by the secrecy and instability that are constitutive features of the contemporary-art market.
—Rosa Lyster, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024
That could require a new constitutive assembly, with a mission, charter, and political program that speaks to all Palestinians and eschews the stale language of the old PLO, a discourse imbued with the spirit of the mid-twentieth century but with no currency in the twenty-first.
—Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
Serge’s simultaneous ambivalence about the status of the individual and sympathetic investment in individuals (and his keen eye for particulars) provides the constitutive tension of his best fiction.
—Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, 29 Dec. 2022
Neoliberals’ constitutive disenfranchisement of voters and all those without a foothold in the asset economy is very much still with us.
—Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 31 Oct. 2022
But in Meacham’s treatment, such personal details function as supporting pieces in a story designed around high-stakes campaign speeches, the constitutive ritual of inaugurations and grave moments of statesmanship.
—John Fabian Witt, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
Art critic Eva Diaz, writing for ArtReview, says that
Of the ‘creative’ pursuits, architecture is among the most dependent on big piles of capital in order to get its work off the ground: patronage is a constitutive yoke of the profession.
—Matt Shaw, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Homoeroticism is of course constitutive of a great deal of classical statuary.
—Richard Meyer, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
After his beginnings at Modern Collections, Philbrick delved into corrupt financial machinations, enabled and empowered by the secrecy and instability that are constitutive features of the contemporary-art market.
—Rosa Lyster, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024
That could require a new constitutive assembly, with a mission, charter, and political program that speaks to all Palestinians and eschews the stale language of the old PLO, a discourse imbued with the spirit of the mid-twentieth century but with no currency in the twenty-first.
—Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
Serge’s simultaneous ambivalence about the status of the individual and sympathetic investment in individuals (and his keen eye for particulars) provides the constitutive tension of his best fiction.
—Ben Lerner, The New York Review of Books, 29 Dec. 2022
Neoliberals’ constitutive disenfranchisement of voters and all those without a foothold in the asset economy is very much still with us.
—Aaron Timms, The New Republic, 31 Oct. 2022
But in Meacham’s treatment, such personal details function as supporting pieces in a story designed around high-stakes campaign speeches, the constitutive ritual of inaugurations and grave moments of statesmanship.
—John Fabian Witt, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constitutive
Adjective
-
There is an intrinsic and undervalued connection between physical and financial health, and Medicaid is the largest federal program that recognizes that connection.—
Dr. Michelle Morse,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
-
That is a shift in mindset from previous incumbents and to win the FA Cup would be vindication for the Austrian’s methods — for his positive approach and that relentless desire to utilise ‘intrinsic motivation’.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This description captures both the ambition and the inherent tension in this evolution.—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
But Next Time? The fast-moving conflict between India and Pakistan last week demonstrated the inherent dangers of the modern nuclear age. 7h agoBy W.J. Hennigan TODAYS FRONT PAGES Edition: INYT - Page Two Harvard Law Paid $27 for a Copy of Magna Carta.—
Ben Hubbard Saumya Khandelwal Matthew DeFeo W.J. Hennigan,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
In fact, according to Dr. Culbreath, jeans are integral to this style of professional dress.—
Kelsey Stiegman,
Glamour,
7 May 2025
-
As technology continues to define business opportunities, there are basic needs that are integral to every development.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
Misty Copeland shares essential advice from Prince, favorite dish to cook, self-care tips The attitude required dealing with critics: 'Great empathy for these people' Years of criticism has taught Zee not to absorb the negativity of online trolls.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
-
Meanwhile, emotional intelligence is consistently ranked as one of the most essential skills for navigating the future of work.—
Leisse Wilcox,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Constitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constitutive. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share