declarative

adjective

de·​clar·​a·​tive di-ˈkler-ə-tiv How to pronounce declarative (audio)
: making a declaration : declaratory
a declarative sentence
declaratively adverb

Examples of declarative in a Sentence

“They went to school” is a declarative sentence.
Recent Examples on the Web Despite so many declarative statements about what her love is now, the pulse behind J. Lo’s star power is as faint as it’s ever been. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024 This, combined with the cast’s blazingly declarative performances, seems almost to give the characters’ debates a solid physicality—as if their language were embossed on the screen. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023 Huntington was notable for his confidence in writing declarative sentences that simplistically categorized billions of people. Jordan Michael Smith, The New Republic, 19 Oct. 2023 Anderson’s declarative archness and rigorous eye rocked my world. Wesley Morris, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2023 The direction of the courtroom scenes has the blandly declarative generality of a TV movie cramming its script details in ahead of the next commercial. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2023 And so at the time, we were taught to use short, declarative sentences to keep the reader moving, and also to control the sort of pace of delivery. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2023 Halfway through, the mood shifts, and those hopeful swirls morph into declarative, funereal piano chords. Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2023 All three are, however, related by the word 'no', and a simple, unapologetic, declarative 'no' is not a word that girls and women are taught to embrace. Natalie Gil, refinery29.com, 11 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'declarative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of declarative was in 1628

Dictionary Entries Near declarative

Cite this Entry

“Declarative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/declarative. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

declarative

adjective
de·​clar·​a·​tive di-ˈklar-ət-iv How to pronounce declarative (audio)
-ˈkler-
: making a declaration or statement
declarative sentence

Medical Definition

declarative

adjective
de·​clar·​a·​tive di-ˈklar-ət-iv, -ˈkler- How to pronounce declarative (audio)
: being or comprising memory characterized by the conscious recall of facts and events compare procedural

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