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expressive
[ ik-spres-iv ]
adjective
- full of expression; meaningful:
an expressive shrug.
- serving to express; indicative of power to express:
a look expressive of gratitude.
- of, relating to, or concerned with expression:
Dance is a highly expressive art.
- Sociology. (of a crowd or group) engaging in nonpurposeful activity of an expressive and often rhythmic nature, as weeping, dancing, or shouting. Compare active ( def 15 ), orgiastic ( def 3 ).
- Linguistics. of or relating to forms in which sounds denote a semantic field directly and nonarbitrarily, through sound symbolism based, to some degree, on synesthesia, as observable in onomatopoeia, rhyming and gradational compounds, and emotionally charged words such as hypocoristics and pejoratives.
expressive
/ ɪkˈsprɛsɪv /
adjective
- of, involving, or full of expression
- postpositivefoll byof indicative or suggestive (of)
a look expressive of love
- having a particular meaning, feeling, or force; significant
Derived Forms
- exˈpressiveness, noun
- exˈpressively, adverb
Other Words From
- ex·pressive·ly adverb
- ex·pressive·ness noun
- anti·ex·pressive adjective
- anti·ex·pressive·ly adverb
- anti·ex·pressive·ness noun
- nonex·pressive adjective
- nonex·pressive·ly adverb
- nonex·pressive·ness noun
- over·ex·pressive adjective
- over·ex·pressive·ly adverb
- over·ex·pressive·ness noun
- preex·pressive adjective
- super·ex·pressive adjective
- super·ex·pressive·ly adverb
- super·ex·pressive·ness noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of expressive1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
From Great Moments with Mr Lincoln, to incredibly expressive characters like the Na’Vi Shaman anchored inside a dark ride, to characters that hold up in bright, well lit spaces.
As Alina, actress Jessie Mei Li’s conviction anchors Shadow and Bone, and her expressive gentleness imparts soul.
Shan is not an expressive kid, not one to talk about his feelings, so his silence is how Anjy Cramer knows he is feeling upset.
If the government aims to protect particular ideas, then it’s aiming directly at the expressive autonomy of American citizens—and companies.
Young people have grown up in a time when politics is more “expressive and conversational when compared to previous generations,” says Feezell.
The instrumental view of culture has it wrong, she argues, and should be replaced with what she calls an “expressive view.”
Robin Williams, as I knew him, was warm, gentle, expressive, nurturing, and brilliant.
With me, finding out how expressive people could be in music really saved me.
Bitcoin serves a purpose that is at once expressive and purposeful.
He combines fabrics and textures and prints in a very expressive way.
The rightly cultivated expressive voice is the man—speaking.
Mrs. Kaye's expressive eyes, which had dwelt on Isabel with flattering attention, fell to the tip of her cigarette.
The circle around did not exactly contradict him, but exhibited expressive appearances of incredulity.
The two most pleasing, expressive, and powerful single instruments of music are the human voice and the violin.
He was also the inventor of "Poikilorgue," an expressive organ, which was the origin of the harmonium.
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Related Words
When To Use
What are other ways to say expressive?
Expressive gestures are full of meaning; expressive looks effectively convey an attitude or feeling. How is expressive different from synonyms meaningful, significant, and suggestive? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
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