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
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Recent Examples of constitutive
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.
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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
And both suggest that the impulse to cheat, cut corners and get over on chumps, if not inflict harm upon them outright, is far from some aberrant pathology in the American identity but rather a constitutive force.
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2022
The argument that something like PTSD existed prior to industrialization must be sustained with evidence of symptoms constitutive of the modern definition.
—Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021
White supremacy has always been a constitutive piece of American national identity, but it cannot be openly claimed in a nation also founded on belief in democracy and freedom.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 11 Aug. 2021
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
And both suggest that the impulse to cheat, cut corners and get over on chumps, if not inflict harm upon them outright, is far from some aberrant pathology in the American identity but rather a constitutive force.
—New York Times, 9 Feb. 2022
The argument that something like PTSD existed prior to industrialization must be sustained with evidence of symptoms constitutive of the modern definition.
—Will Self, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021
White supremacy has always been a constitutive piece of American national identity, but it cannot be openly claimed in a nation also founded on belief in democracy and freedom.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 11 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for constitutive
Adjective
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Colorado wildlife experts are at odds over whether a ballot measure to ban the hunting of certain wildcats would help or hurt the formidable felines that have long been intrinsic to Rocky Mountain ecosystems.Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 1 Nov. 2024
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Kudla said activity and community are intrinsic to the brand’s success.Samantha Conti, WWD, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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To put it another way: Animation can get away with a lot more because of its inherent otherworldliness.Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
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An onlooker snapped a picture, which seemed to exemplify the lawlessness that is inherent to why some people love sideshows and others hate them.Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Chytridiomycosis kills because skin is an integral part of a frog’s cardiovascular system.Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024
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The vice president is an integral part of conversation in the village and her image appears on billboards and banners throughout the community.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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For them, a durable carry-on is as essential as a boarding pass.Outside Online, Outside Online, 11 Nov. 2024
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For centuries, immigrants have been an essential part of the American story.Josh Becker, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near constitutive
Cite this Entry
“Constitutive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/constitutive. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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