subjunctive
adjective
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Definition of subjunctive
(Entry 1 of 2)
subjunctive
nounDefinition of subjunctive (Entry 2 of 2)
Examples of subjunctive in a Sentence
Adjective
In “I wish it were Friday,” the verb “were” is in the subjunctive mood.Noun
“I wish it were not so” is in the subjunctive. Subjunctives can be used to express doubt.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
This gave Ryan Coogler free rein to create a country in the subjunctive mode: what if…? — The New York Review of Books, "Namwali Serpell," 2 Mar. 2019 The author has to sneak away from his seat to consult Reagan letters, diaries and biographies to fortify what is essentially a subjunctive enterprise. — Thomas Mallon, New York Times, "Watch One With the Gipper: An Aide Recalls Movie Nights With the Reagans," 2 Apr. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The dreaded subjunctive indicates that something is not being asserted as true and this turns out to be difficult to learn when that is not an important distinction in your own language. — Michelle Sheehan, Quartz, "Five reasons English speakers struggle to learn other languages," 3 July 2019 Batuman writes; Nina’s reality remains untroubled by conditionals and subjunctives. — Katy Waldman, Slate Magazine, "Elif Batuman sets out to write a novel as chaotic, random, and intoxicating as real life.," 20 Mar. 2017 To avoid the complicated subjunctive, which expresses wishes and hopes. — Diana Spechler, Longreads, "Language Acquisition," 28 Oct. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'subjunctive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for subjunctive
subjunctive
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of subjunctive
(Entry 1 of 2)
subjunctive
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of subjunctive (Entry 2 of 2)
See the full definition for subjunctive in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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