as in letters
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 missives
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
But these jailbirds aren’t using their own fingers to fire off missives or create clones.
—Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Taken together, the missives paint the city as the ultimate ride-or-die.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Feb. 2026
Menin noted that Paladino has also been referred to the Council’s Ethics Committee, which is investigating her over the missives.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Gradually, those missives evolve from hostile taunts to flirtation and then settle on passionate, effusive, unlikely love, which runs contrary to their missions.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Sharp, whose long face looks a bit like Prince William’s, was standing outside on the sidewalk fielding questions from colleagues and a stream of smartphone missives from his chief collaborator on the project—the movie director Wes Anderson, the installation’s headliner.
—Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Which means, expect more of this type of high-brow, high-class missives from the President of the United States this week.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
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
But these jailbirds aren’t using their own fingers to fire off missives or create clones.
—Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Taken together, the missives paint the city as the ultimate ride-or-die.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Feb. 2026
Menin noted that Paladino has also been referred to the Council’s Ethics Committee, which is investigating her over the missives.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Gradually, those missives evolve from hostile taunts to flirtation and then settle on passionate, effusive, unlikely love, which runs contrary to their missions.
—Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Sharp, whose long face looks a bit like Prince William’s, was standing outside on the sidewalk fielding questions from colleagues and a stream of smartphone missives from his chief collaborator on the project—the movie director Wes Anderson, the installation’s headliner.
—Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Which means, expect more of this type of high-brow, high-class missives from the President of the United States this week.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for missives
Noun
-
Hotel Chelsea, which looms large on West 23rd Street in Manhattan and in the history of American arts and letters as its greatest unofficial artists’ colony.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
After playing the game, students participate in creative writing exercises, including letters, journal entries or even original songs, that speak to their experience.—
Jane Charlton,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
“Missives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/missives. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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