as in letter
a message on paper from one person or group to another
the two old friends like to fire off missives filled with good-natured teasing and mock insults
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Recent Examples of missive
The attorney general’s office did not respond to Murphy’s final missive—and has no plans to do so, an official in Mayes’s office told us.
—
Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The pamphlet published five pro-Franco missives; sixteen authors declared neutrality.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Often letters to the editor are scathing missives reflecting one’s political beliefs or unhappiness with a segment of society – the wealthy, the IRS, the insurance companies, law enforcement, etc.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Variety earlier reported the missive.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for missive
Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2026
The pamphlet published five pro-Franco missives; sixteen authors declared neutrality.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Often letters to the editor are scathing missives reflecting one’s political beliefs or unhappiness with a segment of society – the wealthy, the IRS, the insurance companies, law enforcement, etc.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Variety earlier reported the missive.
—Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for missive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missive
Noun
-
After the monthslong delay, attorneys sent the government a letter in February and prompted them to allow the father to receive appointments for a fingerprinting background check, a home visit and a DNA test.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Each side features shoutouts to Kansas City’s professional soccer teams of the past and present, and love letters to his family, like a heart drawn by his niece.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The main theme of the letters over time emphasizes long-term value creation, but the epistles have drawn criticism from the political left and right.—
byDebbie Carlson,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Mar. 2026
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While hunkered down in the trenches of World War I, a Greek scholar translated some of Paul’s epistles.—
Robin Hoagland,
Christian Science Monitor,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Missive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missive. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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