conductive

adjective

con·​duc·​tive kən-ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce conductive (audio)
: having conductivity : relating to conduction (as of electricity)

Examples of conductive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To fix this, the researchers turned to spray drying of a slurry containing graphite, conductive additives, and binders. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026 Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges. — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 19 June 2026 Motherboards are the most expensive, going well above $100, while the conductive rubber pads are the cheapest, available for as low as $3. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 15 June 2026 The visible result is a dramatic transformation of the yellow liquid into a black, electrically conductive hydrogel. — New Atlas, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for conductive

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "having the property of conducting or the ability to conduct or lead," from conduct entry 1 + -ive

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conductive was in 1840

Rhymes for conductive

See All Rhymes for conductive

Browse Nearby Words

conductitious
conductive
conductivity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Conductive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conductive. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

conductive

adjective
con·​duc·​tive kən-ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce conductive (audio)
: having conductivity : relating to conduction (as of electricity)

Medical Definition

conductive

adjective
con·​duc·​tive -ˈdək-tiv How to pronounce conductive (audio)
1
: having conductivity : relating to conduction (as of electricity)
2
: caused by failure in the mechanisms for sound transmission in the external or middle ear
conductive hearing loss
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All