prescriptive
adjective
pre·scrip·tive
pri-ˈskrip-tiv 
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
One of the biggest shifts is from reflective to prescriptive reporting.
—
M. Todd Abner, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Walk into the parenting section of any bookstore and you will be bombarded by prescriptive books, old and new.
—Theo Wolf, CNBC, 24 July 2025
Building this within a repeatable, prescriptive framework ensures the team has the clarity to execute effectively and scale the solution across the organization.
—Jeffrey Eiben, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Choose from hydro glow facials, Himalayan salt rituals, de-stress massages, pedicures, prescriptive manicures, and even Reiki and reflexology.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
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M. Todd Abner, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Walk into the parenting section of any bookstore and you will be bombarded by prescriptive books, old and new.
—Theo Wolf, CNBC, 24 July 2025
Building this within a repeatable, prescriptive framework ensures the team has the clarity to execute effectively and scale the solution across the organization.
—Jeffrey Eiben, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Choose from hydro glow facials, Himalayan salt rituals, de-stress massages, pedicures, prescriptive manicures, and even Reiki and reflexology.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prescriptive
Cite this Entry
“Prescriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prescriptive. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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prescriptive
adjective
pre·scrip·tive
pri-ˈskrip-tiv
1
: serving to prescribe
prescriptive rules
2
: acquired by, founded on, or constituting prescription
a prescriptive right
a longer prescriptive period
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