evocative

adjective

evoc·​a·​tive i-ˈvä-kə-tiv 

: evoking or tending to evoke an especially emotional response

… settings … so evocative that they bring tears to the eyes …

—Eric Malpass

evocatively adverb

evocativeness noun

Synonyms of evocative

• reminiscent

Examples of evocative in a Sentence

He wrote a powerful and evocative biography.

the Italian-American restaurant is decorated in a manner evocative of the charming outdoor cafés in Italy

Recent Examples on the Web

In June, the superstar made her big country music return with the evocative single. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2026

Both high seas adventures are documented in The Row through amazing footage and evocative animation. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2026

Herzog’s matter-of-fact filming style (which includes some long takes and awkward pans) has little evocative power. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026

The moment was loosely evocative of Clooney’s recent performance in Jay Kelly, a comedy-drama about the personal travails of a Clooney-esque movie star that culminates with the character receiving a lifetime honor at a swanky Italian film festival. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for evocative

• provocative
• talkative
• vocative

Kids Definition

evocative

adjective

evoc·​a·​tive i-ˈväk-ət-iv 

: having the power to evoke an especially emotional response

an evocative photograph