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declarative
adjective
de·clar·a·tive
di-ˈkler-ə-tiv
: 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
The soundtrack is a synth-heavy melange that can be ambient or anthemic, intimate in its excavation of inner feelings or defiantly declarative, at times leaning into rap.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 May 2024
His declarative sentences turn upward at the end, like a series of unanswerable questions.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024
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
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
Phrases Containing declarative
Dictionary Entries Near declarative
Cite this Entry
“Declarative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/declarative. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
declarative
adjective
de·clar·a·tive
di-ˈklar-ət-iv
-ˈkler-
: making a declaration or statement
declarative sentence
Medical Definition
declarative
adjective
de·clar·a·tive
di-ˈklar-ət-iv, -ˈkler-
: being or comprising memory characterized by the conscious recall of facts and events compare procedural
More from Merriam-Webster on declarative
Britannica English: Translation of declarative for Arabic Speakers
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