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

The original has since grown to four metro Atlanta locations, thanks to inventive takes on classic flavors. — Lia Picard, AJC.com, 22 July 2026

Occasionally amusing but more slapdash than inventive, gamely performed but irredeemably sour, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is a skippable addition to Chuck Lorre’s ever-expanding solar system of Big Bang Theory spinoffs. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026

Shi draws on his own family history to examine ageing, domestic violence and intergenerational duty in contemporary China, working in a mode that marries close observational filmmaking with formally inventive cinematic language. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026

Below is another interchange with Scott, away to Newcastle the following week, as well as a piece of inventive hold-up play to free Adrien Truffert down the wing at Manchester City last November. — Art De Roché, New York Times, 17 July 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