prescriptive

adjective

pre·​scrip·​tive pri-ˈskrip-tiv How to pronounce prescriptive (audio)
1
: serving to prescribe
prescriptive rules of usage
2
: acquired by, founded on, or determined by prescription or by long-standing custom
prescriptively adverb

Examples of prescriptive in a Sentence

Critics claim the new rules are too prescriptive. even in this age of e-mail the prescriptive response to a wedding gift is a handwritten thank-you note
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Data analytics can generate predictive and prescriptive insights about users, their profiles and context, which must be used as input for intelligent workflows. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Furthermore, the bill is overly prescriptive on flags themselves. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025 While useful, language analytics, conversational and digital intelligence, and sentiment analysis differ from advanced diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive methods. Forrester, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 The hearing care profession is navigating a transition between long-standing prescriptive models and a fast-moving over-the-counter market. Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prescriptive

Word History

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prescriptive was in 1663

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Cite this Entry

“Prescriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescriptive. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Legal Definition

prescriptive

adjective
pre·​scrip·​tive pri-ˈskrip-tiv How to pronounce prescriptive (audio)
1
: serving to prescribe
prescriptive rules
2
: acquired by, founded on, or constituting prescription
a prescriptive right
a longer prescriptive period
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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