imaginative

adjective

imag·​i·​na·​tive i-'ma-jə-nə-tiv 

i-ˈmaj-nə-tiv;

-ˈma-jə-ˌnā-

1

a

: of, relating to, or characterized by imagination

b

: devoid of truth : false

2

: given to imagining : having a lively imagination

3

: of or relating to images

especially : showing a command of imagery

imaginatively adverb

imaginativeness noun

Synonyms

• clever
• creative
• ingenious
• innovational
• innovative
• innovatory
• inventive
• original
• originative
• Promethean

Examples of imaginative in a Sentence

She wrote an imaginative story about life on the planet Venus.

The restaurant's menu is quite imaginative.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lent by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Bronze Age vessels for food and wine and imaginative animal sculptures are on view for the first time in New York through July 13. —Jane Levere, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

In recent years, other artists have released similarly imaginative rerecordings. —Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 8 June 2025

Camille Flammarion One imaginative thinker whose attention was drawn to Mars during this period was the Parisian astronomer Camille Flammarion. —Matthew Shindell, The Conversation, 6 June 2025

This imaginative coping mechanism sets the stage for a luminous drama that explores themes of resilience, solidarity, and the power of storytelling in the face of adversity. —Jamie Lang, Variety, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ymaginatif "employing mental images, curious, inventive," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, "of the imagination, having a strong imagination, shrewd," borrowed from Medieval Latin imāginātīvus "of the imagination," from Latin imāginātus, past participle of imāginārī "to imagine" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

imaginative

adjective

imag·​i·​na·​tive im-ˈaj-(ə-)nət-iv 

-ˈaj-ə-ˌnāt-

1

: of, relating to, or showing imagination

2

: having a lively imagination

imaginatively adverb

imaginativeness noun