Prescriptive
adjective
Giving exact rules, directions, or instructions about how something should be done.
Religious laws are often prescriptive, telling followers what they should and shouldn't do.
Often appears as...
- prescriptive rules
- prescriptive standards
Usage tips
Formal
adjective
Describing a grammatical rule or use that people must follow to be considered right or correct.
The difference between 'who' and 'whom' is a complex prescriptive rule in English.
Often appears as...
- prescriptive grammar
- prescriptive linguistics
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
adjective
Relating to the power to establish standards or rules.
The court judged on the prescriptive right over the land issue.
Often appears as...
- prescriptive right
- prescriptive authority
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
adjective
Giving exact rules, directions, or instructions about how something should be done.
Religious laws are often prescriptive, telling followers what they should and shouldn't do.
Often appears as...
- prescriptive rules
- prescriptive standards
Usage tips
Formal
adjective
Describing a grammatical rule or use that people must follow to be considered right or correct.
The difference between 'who' and 'whom' is a complex prescriptive rule in English.
Often appears as...
- prescriptive grammar
- prescriptive linguistics
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
adjective
Relating to the power to establish standards or rules.
The court judged on the prescriptive right over the land issue.
Often appears as...
- prescriptive right
- prescriptive authority
Usage tips
Formal
Legal
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Rule Imposition
Indicates rules being strictly set, which you must follow closely without room for personal interpretation.
His prescriptive approach to managing the team left no space for creativity.
Pro Tip 2/3Expectation Setting
Used to set clear expectations about how a task should be performed.
The teacher's prescriptive instructions helped us complete the project correctly.
Pro Tip 3/3Standardization
Favors uniformity by enforcing the same rules or procedures for everyone involved.
The company's prescriptive dress code ensures all employees look professional.
Pro Tip 1/3Rule Imposition
Indicates rules being strictly set, which you must follow closely without room for personal interpretation.
His prescriptive approach to managing the team left no space for creativity.
Pro Tip 2/3Expectation Setting
Used to set clear expectations about how a task should be performed.
The teacher's prescriptive instructions helped us complete the project correctly.
Pro Tip 3/3Standardization
Favors uniformity by enforcing the same rules or procedures for everyone involved.
The company's prescriptive dress code ensures all employees look professional.
Pro Tip 1/3Rule Imposition
Indicates rules being strictly set, which you must follow closely without room for personal interpretation.
His prescriptive approach to managing the team left no space for creativity.
Pro Tip 2/3Expectation Setting
Used to set clear expectations about how a task should be performed.
The teacher's prescriptive instructions helped us complete the project correctly.
Pro Tip 3/3Standardization
Favors uniformity by enforcing the same rules or procedures for everyone involved.
The company's prescriptive dress code ensures all employees look professional.
Compare with
authoritariandictatorialdogmaticdomineerimperativeobligatoryprescriberegulatory
Never forget "Prescriptive"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
A new stock exchange...
mean and so this isn't just some sort of squishy marketing message I mean will you be monitoring their how they update and how they I mean your are you are you making sure they're doing it yeah so accountability was really important to us and of course this is where you have to balance how prescriptive or you're
Video examples
Tracking Plastic Sea to...
between those countries conferences suppose you stakeholder meetings meetings at all levels we're constantly meeting with people there building capacity building knowledge inspiring them to take this on for themselves we can't be prescriptive I don't come from Angola I don't come from Namibia I don't
Video examples
Sleepy Harbour Seals and...
all the way to Norfolk said I didn't get a bit a bit West at the time this whole film could have had to be prescriptive slow down now on that big haul out point on the beach so I guess I need to go down and out to start getting some footage for this film so I'm on the
Video examples
A new stock exchange...
mean and so this isn't just some sort of squishy marketing message I mean will you be monitoring their how they update and how they I mean your are you are you making sure they're doing it yeah so accountability was really important to us and of course this is where you have to balance how prescriptive or you're
Video examples
Tracking Plastic Sea to...
between those countries conferences suppose you stakeholder meetings meetings at all levels we're constantly meeting with people there building capacity building knowledge inspiring them to take this on for themselves we can't be prescriptive I don't come from Angola I don't come from Namibia I don't
Video examples
Sleepy Harbour Seals and...
all the way to Norfolk said I didn't get a bit a bit West at the time this whole film could have had to be prescriptive slow down now on that big haul out point on the beach so I guess I need to go down and out to start getting some footage for this film so I'm on the
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Zadie Smith
British Novelist
The conflation of the simple in style with the morally prescriptive in character, and the complex in style with the amoral or anarchic in character, seems to me one of the most persistently fallacious beliefs held by English students.
Quote examples
Jonathan Sacks
British Clergyman
Science will explain how but not why. It talks about what is, not what ought to be. Science is descriptive, not prescriptive; it can tell us about causes but it cannot tell us about purposes. Indeed, science disavows purposes.
Quote examples
Paul Auster
American Author
I don't think that you can be prescriptive about anything, I mean, life is too complicated. Maybe there are novels where the author has not in the least thought about it in terms of film, which can be turned into good films.
Quote examples
Esther McVey
British Politician
To think that we are all the same and going to follow the same journey, that is wrong. We are going to support and liberate people, to give people as many opportunities to succeed as possible without being prescriptive.
Quote examples
Kathleen Hanna
American Musician
Facing sexism and racism and classism and transphobia, there are ways to choose to act in those situations, and there shouldn't be a prescriptive list of things that you have to say.
Quote examples
Tavi Gevinson
American Writer
I'd like 'Rookie' to be a helpful resource, but I never want it to be too prescriptive. Hopefully, it also makes the reader feel encouraged to think for herself.
Quote examples
Sarah Hall
English Writer
For every prescriptive idea about the craft of fiction, there's at least one writer who makes a virtue of the contrary.
Quote examples
Malorie Blackman
British Writer
Children find prescriptive reading lists daunting, and they are a dangerous thing to have in schools.
Quote examples
Katie Hopkins
English Entertainer
Those that preach tolerance have become absolutely prescriptive in what's allowed to be thought.
Quote examples
Rohini Nilekani
Indian Writer
The Giving Pledge is not meant to be prescriptive or restrictive.
Quote examples
Zadie Smith
British Novelist
The conflation of the simple in style with the morally prescriptive in character, and the complex in style with the amoral or anarchic in character, seems to me one of the most persistently fallacious beliefs held by English students.
Quote examples
Jonathan Sacks
British Clergyman
Science will explain how but not why. It talks about what is, not what ought to be. Science is descriptive, not prescriptive; it can tell us about causes but it cannot tell us about purposes. Indeed, science disavows purposes.
Quote examples
Paul Auster
American Author
I don't think that you can be prescriptive about anything, I mean, life is too complicated. Maybe there are novels where the author has not in the least thought about it in terms of film, which can be turned into good films.
Quote examples
Esther McVey
British Politician
To think that we are all the same and going to follow the same journey, that is wrong. We are going to support and liberate people, to give people as many opportunities to succeed as possible without being prescriptive.
Quote examples
Kathleen Hanna
American Musician
Facing sexism and racism and classism and transphobia, there are ways to choose to act in those situations, and there shouldn't be a prescriptive list of things that you have to say.
Quote examples
Tavi Gevinson
American Writer
I'd like 'Rookie' to be a helpful resource, but I never want it to be too prescriptive. Hopefully, it also makes the reader feel encouraged to think for herself.
Quote examples
Sarah Hall
English Writer
For every prescriptive idea about the craft of fiction, there's at least one writer who makes a virtue of the contrary.
Quote examples
Malorie Blackman
British Writer
Children find prescriptive reading lists daunting, and they are a dangerous thing to have in schools.
Quote examples
Katie Hopkins
English Entertainer
Those that preach tolerance have become absolutely prescriptive in what's allowed to be thought.
Quote examples
Rohini Nilekani
Indian Writer
The Giving Pledge is not meant to be prescriptive or restrictive.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension