What does "prerogative" mean?
An exclusive hereditary or official right or privilege.
Prerogative
/pɹəˈɹɑɡ.ə.tɪv/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An exclusive hereditary or official right or privilege.
- Grammar: prerogative is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: privilege, absolute power, absolutism, accomplishment.
- Useful contrasts: compulsion, constraint, duty.
- Usage evidence: If you want to throw your life's accomplishments away, that's your prerogative, but I'm staying right here where I'll be safe from your lunacy.
How to use "prerogative"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "prerogative" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "prerogative" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "prerogative" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "prerogative" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "prerogative" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "privilege" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "prerogative", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An exclusive hereditary or official right or privilege.
- 2 a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right) wordnet
- 3 A right, or power that is exclusive to a monarch etc, especially such a power to make a decision or judgement.
"Despite being a constitutional monarchy, the British sovereign still retain many royal prerogatives."
- 4 A right, especially when due to one's position or role.
"I hear my chair in the hall; and to keep Lord Marchmont waiting, when he has announced his intention of supping at home, far exceeds my prerogative; so good night, dearest, you will either see or hear from me to-morrow."
- 5 A property, attribute or ability which gives one a superiority or advantage over others; an inherent advantage or privilege; a talent.
Adjective
- 1 Having a hereditary or official right or privilege.
- 2 Characterized by lawless state actions, as in a prerogative state.
"Law-eroding prerogative developments cannot only be witnessed in hybrid regimes, but also in democratic states, which resort to reflections and practices of an ‘enemy criminal law’, and in the European Union’s recent crisis politics."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"If you want to throw your life's accomplishments away, that's your prerogative, but I'm staying right here where I'll be safe from your lunacy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "prerogative"?
Common synonyms include: privilege, absolute power, absolutism, accomplishment, advantage, advantage.
How do you use "prerogative" in a sentence?
If you want to throw your life's accomplishments away, that's your prerogative, but I'm staying right here where I'll be safe from your lunacy.
How do you pronounce "prerogative"?
Pronounced /pɹəˈɹɑɡ.ə.tɪv/.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman prerogative (noun), from Latin praerogātīva (“previous verdict; claim, privilege”), noun use of the feminine singular of praerogātīvus (“having first vote; privileged”).