correctives

plural of corrective
1
as in counters
a force or influence that makes an opposing force ineffective or less effective a substantial outflow of people proved to be the necessary corrective for the spiraling cost of housing

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2
as in antidotes
something that corrects or counteracts something undesirable the only corrective to bad behavior is good, firm discipline

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 correctives The need for correctives is extensive, and the work is well under way. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 These are all refreshing correctives to the texts that previously stood in for contemporary Japan internationally, including any number of small volumes about magical cafés, bookshops, or libraries, often with cats on their covers. — Sarah Chihaya, New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2026 Some of these values—such as a disciplined commitment to physical fitness—are good and, in my opinion, necessary correctives to the enervating distractions of 21st-century living. — Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025 These are not radical demands, but overdue correctives necessary for restoring public trust in higher education. — Ilya Shapiro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for correctives
Noun
  • The state counters that funding the church school would violate the state's anti-discrimination law.
    — Nina Totenberg, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Mail, keys, reusable bags, lunch containers and water bottles migrate onto counters because no other surface in the home has been assigned to them — which pushes everyday clutter straight into active work zones.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • There has been a widespread opinion that football has become too rigid and regimented in recent seasons, but Luis Enrique’s PSG are one of the few antidotes to that.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Forms of slave knowledge, overlaid on Indigenous ones, were influential in treating dysentery and elaborating antidotes for poisonings.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Chinese Money Plant Chinese money plants (Pilea peperomioides) often produce offsets or baby plants, which are easy to divide and repot into their own containers.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2026
  • And this does the latter quite nicely, the classic claret and blue along with a gold trim offsets the whole thing rather well.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Luckily, those diseases can be cured by antibiotics or other remedies.
    — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • If individuals violate the policy, the CSU may pursue discipline, seek intervention by law enforcement or pursue civil remedies.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • These balances may need different treatment Carrying debt into retirement isn't necessarily a problem.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Accounting software like QuickBooks Online can automate invoice creation, track payments and send reminders about outstanding balances.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Asked about immigration solutions for Congress to tackle, Latino voters polled picked investigating ICE as a top priority, alongside immigration changes like a pathway to citizenship and ending the immigration detention of children and families.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government and school leaders must listen to students' concerns and find solutions.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In other words, emotion, empathy and irrationality could be seen as some of the most powerful counterweights to AI.
    — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Then, an optimization algorithm repeatedly rearranged the drone’s heavy essentials, such as the battery, the circuit board, and the counterweights.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Correctives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/correctives. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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