EXPRESSIVE Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

expressive

adjective

ik-ˈspre-siv

Definition of expressive

as in eloquent

clearly conveying a special meaning (as one's mood) the teacher's expressive sigh showed that she had heard that excuse many times before

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of expressive Donskoys are often described as social, intelligent and expressive, but keep in mind that individual personalities may vary. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026 Perhaps this is why so much contemporary design feels more bloviating than expressive, as though visual volume now matters more than beauty. — Debbie Millman, Time, 18 Aug. 2026 Her dark, expressive eyebrows and the deep timbre of her voice stand in entertaining contrast to the bounding energy of her husband, who is urgently sociable. — Gaby Wood, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026 Six of the seven individual plaintiffs were ultimately found responsible for violating FIU Regulation 110, which bans protests and other expressive activities inside university buildings. — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expressive

Recent Examples of Synonyms for expressive

Adjective

Being a competent, eloquent orator does not mean that you’re trusted.

— Jamil Wyne, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
When Kent Jones was a critic at Film Comment, he was known for, among many other things, his eloquent and insightful analyses of performance.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of eloquent

Adjective

Three questions are worth putting to an HR lead directly, because the answers are more revealing than the brochure.

— Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Perhaps most revealing among the disclosures, however, is that Shein spends considerably more on moving and selling products than on making them.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of revealing

Adjective

That is meaningful for schools, considering that around 90% of the United States' 480,000 school buses run on diesel.

— Willa Rubin, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Yet meaningful, comprehensive control of AI both on the battlefield and off has languished, largely because trust between governments and understanding of the technology and its risks is lacking, Russell said.

— Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of meaningful

Adjective

From that point on, Kusama’s absorbing and fresh art, once charged by avant-garde energies, became more or less a meaning-free expression of market principles, an exercise in branding.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Yiaga’s degustation menu is distinctly Australian—meaning, inventive and collaborative.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Definition of meaning

Browse Nearby Words

expressions

expressive

expressiveness

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“Expressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expressive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of expressive

adjective

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