inventive

adjective

in·​ven·​tive in-ˈven-tiv 

1

: adept or prolific at producing inventions : creative

an inventive mind

2

: characterized by invention

an inventive method

inventively adverb

inventiveness noun

Synonyms of inventive

• innovative
• imaginative
• creative
• clever

Examples of inventive in a Sentence

They have given their new company an inventive name.

inventive ways to use leftovers

Recent Examples on the Web

Zack is an equally inventive artistic programmer who has become one of the leading voices of his generation through groundbreaking work across opera, theater, dance, and the visual arts. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 6 Nov. 2026

The Moon’s square to inventive Uranus favors experimenting when the original approach hits a snag. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026

Bravo Restaurant & Lounge Head to downtown Chilliwack’s Bravo Restaurant & Lounge for an elevated night out and inventive Pacific Northwest cuisine. — Vivian Chung, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2026

Upon its initial release, the album cemented My Chemical Romance's shift from mainstays of the emo scene to mainstream recognition, becoming one of the most inventive bands of the 21st century. — ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for inventive

• agentive
• attentive
• incentive
• preventive
• retentive
• disincentive
• inattentive

Kids Definition

inventive

adjective

in·​ven·​tive in-ˈvent-iv 

: gifted with the skill and imagination to invent

inventively adverb

inventiveness noun