Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for expressive

expressive

[ ik-spres-iv ]

adjective

  1. an expressive shrug.

  2. serving to express; indicative of power to express:

    a look expressive of gratitude.

  3. of, relating to, or concerned with expression:

    Dance is a highly expressive art.

  4. 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 ).
  5. 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

  1. of, involving, or full of expression
  2. postpositivefoll byof indicative or suggestive (of)

    a look expressive of love

  3. having a particular meaning, feeling, or force; significant
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • exˈpressiveness, noun
  • exˈpressively, adverb
Discover More

Other Words From

  • ex·pressive·ly adverb
  • ex·pressive·ness noun
  • anti·ex·pressive adjective
  • anti·ex·pressive·ly adverb
  • anti·ex·pressive·ness noun
  • nonex·pressive adjective
  • nonex·pressive·ly adverb
  • nonex·pressive·ness noun
  • over·ex·pressive adjective
  • over·ex·pressive·ly adverb
  • over·ex·pressive·ness noun
  • preex·pressive adjective
  • super·ex·pressive adjective
  • super·ex·pressive·ly adverb
  • super·ex·pressive·ness noun
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of expressive1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French; express, -ive
Discover More

Synonym Study

Discover More

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.

From Time

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.

Advertisement

Discover More

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

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


expression markexpressive aphasia