formative

1 of 2

adjective

for·​ma·​tive ˈfȯr-mə-tiv 

1

a

: giving or capable of giving form : constructive

a formative influence

b

: used in word formation or inflection

2

: capable of alteration by growth and development

also : producing new cells and tissues

3

: of, relating to, or characterized by formative effects or formation

formative years

formatively adverb

formative

2 of 2

noun

: the element (such as a suffix) in a word that serves to give the word appropriate form and is not part of the base

Did you know?

Whatever gives shape to something else may be called formative: for example, the Grand Canyon is a product of the formative power of water, and the automobile was a huge formative influence on the design of America's cities. But it usually applies to some kind of shaping that isn't physical. An ambitious plan, for example, goes through a formative stage of development. The formative years of the U.S. included experimentation with various forms of government. And the most important formative experiences in our own lives tend to take place in the first 20 years or so.

Synonyms of formative

Adjective

• creative
• productive
• constructive

Examples of formative in a Sentence

Adjective

This experience had a formative influence on his art.

a teacher who was a formative influence on generations of students

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But the logic that now organizes all of these institutions is increasingly shaped by security commanders and battlefield veterans whose formative experiences are defined not by negotiation but by confrontation. —Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 9 May 2026

For Udoka, the former NBA player who spent his formative coaching years as an assistant under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, the current iteration of these Rockets is clearly forcing him to adjust his often-abrasive ways. —Sam Amick, New York Times, 1 May 2026

Many of the major players during the formative years of psychedelia and jam-rock during the 1960s and ‘70s had bluegrass somewhere in their foundation — Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Moby Grape. —Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026

The pageant was a formative experience that provided Leachman with a $1,000 scholarship. —Staff Author, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1816, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for formative

• normative
• heteronormative
• informative
• performative
• uninformative

Kids Definition

formative

adjective

for·​ma·​tive

ˈfȯr-mət-iv

1

: giving or able to give form

a formative influence

2

: of, relating to, or characterized by important growth or formation

formative years

formatively adverb

formativeness noun

Medical Definition

formative

adjective

for·​ma·​tive ˈfȯr-mət-iv 

: capable of alteration by growth and development

also : producing new cells and tissues