-ive
of or that which does something
Usage
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abortive
An abortive attempt or action is cut short before it is finished; hence, it is unsuccessful.
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purgative
A purgative agent completely cleans something out.
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discursive
A piece of writing is discursive if it includes a lot of information that is not relevant to the main subject.
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figurative
If you use words in a figurative way, they have an abstract or symbolic meaning beyond their literal interpretation.
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substantive
Substantive issues are the most important, serious, and real issues of a subject.
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lucrative
If a business is lucrative, it makes a lot of money.
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tentative
To be tentative is to be hesitant or uncertain about something; an agreement or decision of this kind is likely to have changes before it reaches its final form.
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cognitive
Cognitive describes those things related to judgment, memory, and other mental processes of knowing.
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reductive
If you describe something as reductive, such as an explanation or a theory, you disapprove of it because it describes or explains something in such a simple way that it misses important details.
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effusive
Someone who is effusive expresses happiness, pleasure, admiration, praise, etc., in an extremely enthusiastic way.
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acquisitive
When you are acquisitive, you are driven to pursue and own wealth and possessions—often in a greedy fashion.
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pervasive
If something is pervasive, it appears to be everywhere.
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impassive
If someone is impassive, they are not showing any emotion.
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introspective
If someone is introspective, they spend a lot of time examining their own feelings, thoughts, or ideas.
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incisive
If an idea or thought is incisive, it is expressed in a penetrating and knowledgeable manner that is clear and brief; additionally, it can demonstrate impressive understanding of related ideas or thoughts.
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putative
Something putative is supposed to be real; for example, a putative leader is one who everyone assumes is the leader—even though they may not be in reality.
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pensive
If you are pensive, you are deeply thoughtful, often in a sad and/or serious way.
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pejorative
A pejorative word, phrase, or expression expresses a bad opinion of someone or something.
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delusive
Something that is delusive deceives you by giving a false belief about yourself or the situation you are in.
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unobtrusive
If someone acts in an unobtrusive way, their actions are not easily noticed and do not stand out in any way.
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objective
If someone is objective, they base their opinions on facts rather than personal feelings or beliefs.
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divisive
Something that is divisive is likely to cause arguments between people.
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abrasive
Someone who has an abrasive manner is unkind and rude, wearing away at you in an irritating fashion.
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furtive
If someone behaves in a furtive way, they do things sneakily and secretly in order to avoid being noticed.
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curative
Something that has curative properties can be used for curing people's illnesses.
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missive
A missive is a written letter, especially a formal, legal, or important one.
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palliative
A palliative action makes a bad situation seem better; nevertheless, it does not actually solve the problem.
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plaintive
A plaintive sound or voice expresses sadness.
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punitive
A punitive action is intended to punish someone.
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restive
A restive person is not willing or able to keep still or be patient because they are bored or dissatisfied with something; consequently, they are becoming difficult to control.
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assertive
When you act in an assertive fashion, you know what you want and strongly persist in getting it.
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cohesive
A cohesive argument sticks together, working as a consistent, unified whole.
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conducive
A conducive agent is something that is favorable or helpful in getting something to happen.
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definitive
A definitive opinion on an issue cannot be challenged; therefore, it is the final word or the most authoritative pronouncement on that issue.
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derivative
A derivative is something borrowed from something else, such as an English word that comes from another language.
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directive
When you are given a directive, you are given an instruction or order that directs you to do something.
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disincentive
A disincentive to do something does not encourage you to do that thing; rather, it restrains and hinders you from doing it.
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expansive
Something expansive has a wide scope or is large in area.
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formative
Something formative shapes or influences the growth of something else.
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imperative
When it is imperative that something be done, it is absolutely necessary or very important that it be accomplished.
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impulsive
Someone who is impulsive tends to do things without thinking about them ahead of time; therefore, their actions can be unpredictable.
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inconclusive
If the results of something are inconclusive, they are uncertain or provide no final answers.
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inductive
Inductive reasoning involves the observation of data to arrive at a general conclusion or principle.
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inquisitive
If you are inquisitive, you are eager to learn and highly curious—sometimes too much so.
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intrusive
An intrusive person intrudes, butts in, or interferes where they are not welcome.
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invective
If you hurl invective at another person, you are verbally abusing or highly criticizing them.
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prerogative
Your prerogative is your right or privilege to do something.
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repulsive
Something that is repulsive is offensive, highly unpleasant, or just plain disgusting.
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subjective
A subjective opinion is not based upon facts or hard evidence; rather, it rests upon someone's personal feelings or beliefs about a matter or concern.
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subversive
A subversive act destroys or does great harm to a government or other institution.
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superlative
A superlative deed or act is excellent, outstanding, or the best of its kind.
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vindictive
If you are vindictive, you want to take revenge upon someone who has done something bad to you.
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apprehensive
When you are apprehensive about a future event, you are nervous or fearful about it.
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evasive
When you are being evasive, you are trying to avoid trouble or not give a direct answer to a question.
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illustrative
An illustrative example serves to explain or describe something, often by providing pictures.
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cumulative
A cumulative process builds, increases, or grows slowly over time.
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distinctive
Distinctive qualities set people or things apart from everyone or everything else—they are what make people or things different or unique.
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submissive
When someone is submissive, they are highly obedient and often give in to the demands of others.
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indicative
One thing that is indicative of another suggests or shows it in some way.
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vituperative
Vituperative remarks are full of hate, anger, and cruel criticism.
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negative
Something negative, such as a result or an answer, is not good in some way or marks a *no* about something.
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aggressive
An aggressive person is likely to attack someone or something; a person of this type can also really want to win and so works very hard to do so.
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active
An active person likes to move and has lots of energy.
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consecutive
Consecutive events happen one right after the other with no breaks in between.
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native
Someone who is native to a country was born there; this word can also describe a skill with which someone is born.
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attractive
An attractive person or thing looks good and is pleasing to others.
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expensive
Something expensive costs a lot of money or has a high price.
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attentive
If you are attentive in the classroom, you are very aware of what is going on because you are focused on what the teacher is telling you.
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alternative
An alternative is another choice offered to you in addition to something that you already have.
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positive
If you are positive about something, you are either very sure about it or you are feeling good about it—or both.
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adjective
of or relating to or functioning as an adjective
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expletive
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
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explosive
serving to explode or characterized by explosion or sudden outburst
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possessive
serving to express or indicate possession
Related Word Sums
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