reductive

adjective

re·​duc·​tive ri-ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce reductive (audio)
1
: of, relating to, causing, or involving reduction
2
: of or relating to reductionism : reductionistic
reductively adverb
reductiveness noun

Examples of reductive in a Sentence

a reductive interpretation of the theory
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.
There’s nothing simple or reductive about the emotional throughlines the documentary traces. Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 Whether your perception of Gen Z is shaped by real-world interactions or two-dimensional headlines, pigeonholing a whole generation is reductive. Alex Cooper, Fortune, 16 May 2026 This reductive view of the world—women things bad, men things good—is the mirror image of the worst excesses of 2010s Tumblr feminism, when introverted teenage girls posted hashtags like #KillAllMen and drank from mugs that read MALE TEARS. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 Rather than being a reductive way of summarising Guimaraes’ magnetism, this encapsulates precisely how universal his influence is. Chris Waugh, New York Times, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for reductive

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reductive was in 1633

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Cite this Entry

“Reductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reductive. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Medical Definition

reductive

adjective
re·​duc·​tive ri-ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce reductive (audio)
: of, relating to, causing, or involving reduction
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