illustrative

adjective

il·​lus·​tra·​tive i-ˈlə-strə-tiv 

also

ˈi-lə-ˌstrā- 

: serving, tending, or designed to illustrate

illustrative examples

art that is illustrative of provincial life

illustratively adverb

Synonyms of illustrative

• interpretive
• interpretative
• explanative
• illuminative
• explanatory

Examples of illustrative in a Sentence

an illustrative analogy in which the relationship between God and humanity is likened to that between a shepherd and his flock

Recent Examples on the Web

The $4,500 out-of-pocket maximum in the prompt is illustrative — the legal in-network ceiling is $9,250 in 2026. —Eve Cunningham, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026

Winslow Homer’s The Morning Bell (originally The Old Mill, pictured above) is illustrative of this distinction in art. —Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

Golinger pointed to NextEra Energy as an illustrative example of how the dynamics can compound over time. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 June 2026

For illustrative purposes, this could be set at a ballpark figure of $1,500 to $2,000 per day of military duty. —Robert Krasner, STAT, 1 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1643, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

illustrative

adjective

il·​lus·​tra·​tive il-ˈəs-trət-iv 

: serving or meant to illustrate

illustrative examples