Word
curative
Phoneticscu·ra·tive, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkjʊɹətɪv/
UK/kjˈʊɹətˌɪv/
Definition
adj. able to cure an illness or fix a health problem. You use it for treatments that can make you fully better, not just ease pain.
adj. capable of curing disease or restoring health, as opposed to merely relieving symptoms. Often collocates with treatment, therapy, surgery, and care.
Examples
“This new drug has a strong curative effect.”
“The doctors chose curative surgery to remove the tumor instead of only treating the pain.”
“While palliative care focuses on comfort, curative treatment aims to eliminate the underlying disease and restore long-term health.”
Examples
simple
“This new drug has a strong curative effect.”
contextual
“The doctors chose curative surgery to remove the tumor instead of only treating the pain.”
complex
“While palliative care focuses on comfort, curative treatment aims to eliminate the underlying disease and restore long-term health.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “curative” in context.
Verb
01. aim for curative
“Oncologists will aim for curative treatment whenever the cancer is localized.”
verb + prep + adj
02. consider curative
“Doctors do not yet consider this procedure curative on its own.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. fully curative
“Antibiotics can be fully curative if the infection is caught early.”
adv + adj
04. highly curative
“The new drug combination proved highly curative in early clinical trials.”
adv + adj
05. potentially curative
“Bone marrow transplant offers a potentially curative option for some patients.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. curative effect
“The herb is claimed to have a curative effect, but evidence is limited.”
adj + noun
07. curative intent
“She underwent surgery with curative intent rather than to relieve symptoms.”
adj + noun
08. curative surgery
“Curative surgery is only possible if the disease is diagnosed early.”
adj + noun
09. curative treatment
“Early detection makes curative treatment far more likely to succeed.”
adj + noun
10. have curative properties
“No herbal tea has been shown to have curative properties against cancer.”
11. no curative treatment exists
“For advanced cases, no curative treatment exists yet.”
12. offer potentially curative therapy
“The clinic offers potentially curative therapy for early-stage liver disease.”
Usage
Typically attributive, placed before nouns such as treatment, therapy, surgery, or care.
Pitfall
a curative disease
a curable disease
Curative describes the treatment that cures; curable describes the disease that can be cured.
Real-World Examples
“If they are clear, surgery alone is often curative.” Etymology
From Middle French curatif.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/curative