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Synonyms

curative

American  
[kyoor-uh-tiv] / ˈkjʊər ə tɪv /

adjective

  1. serving to cure or heal; pertaining to curing or remedial treatment; remedial.


noun

  1. a curative agent; remedy.

curative British  
/ ˈkjʊərətɪv /

adjective

  1. able or tending to cure

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. anything able to heal or cure

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of curative

1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French curatif < Medieval Latin cūrātīvus, equivalent to Late Latin cūrāt ( us ) (past participle of curāre to care for, attend to; see cure); see -ive

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Pricing a superior — and curative — drug at a similar level as the currently available treatment seemed like a good deal.

From MarketWatch Aug. 13, 2026

Her family decided to pursue potentially curative treatment abroad, and a GoFundMe was launched on 2 June, raising more than £100,000 towards her treatment by 10 June.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2026

In aplastic anemia, where the marrow stops making enough blood cells, and in inherited blood disorders such as sickle-cell disease, stem-cell transplantation has emerged as a curative therapy as the procedure has become safer.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 19, 2026

“Shrinking” executive producers and co-creators Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein also work together on that surprise curative, which dragged most of us through the pandemic and beyond.

From Salon Feb. 7, 2026

The curative program is never really underway until this happens.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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