creative

adjective cre·a·tive \ krē-ˈā-tiv , ˈkrē-ˌā- \

Definition of creative

1 :marked by the ability or power to create :given to creating

the creative impulse

a creative genius

2 :having the quality of something created rather than imitated :imaginative

the creative arts

creative writing

3 :managed so as to get around legal or conventional limits

creative financing

; also :deceptively arranged so as to conceal or defraud

creative accounting

—

creatively

adverb

—

creativeness

noun

See creative defined for English-language learners

See creative defined for kids

Examples of creative in a Sentence

She's a very creative person.
She has one of the most creative minds in the business.
They've come up with some creative new ways to make money.
a creative solution to a difficult problem
He teaches creative writing at the university.
the first step in the creative process
It turns out that the company's report of record profits last year was due to some creative accounting.

Recent Examples of creative from the Web

Atkins joined Magnises in a creative role before going on to help McFarland start Fyre Media.

— kim bhasin, Bloomberg.com, "How a Black-Card Wannabe Went Down In Flames," 30 Aug. 2017
The team will also rely on creative play-making by midfielders Liadan Stammler and Molly Lynch and strong leadership from defensive players like Courtalis and Natalie Berkey.

— randy mcroberts, The Aegis, "2017 girls soccer preview," 30 Aug. 2017
The school's six specialties include music, visual arts, theatre arts, creative writing, math and science, and dance.

— birmingham magazine, AL.com, "See the winners of 2017 Best of Birmingham," 28 Aug. 2017
Just on the 3000 block of Adams Avenue are the perfect French bistro, ramen masters, crazy creative sushi, a comfort food haven, a coffee house with primo bites and a place for 99-cent fish tacos.

— michele parente, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Is this the most delicious block in San Diego?," 24 Aug. 2017
The 94-year-old dreamer behind Spider-Man, Iron Man and scores of other superheroes sat center stage at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills as one artist-admirer after another shared how his characters and creative energy inspired them.

— sandy cohen, chicagotribune.com, "RZA, Lou Ferrigno, others celebrate Stan Lee's creativity," 23 Aug. 2017
Since his first collection for Calvin Klein, with the brand’s creative director Pieter Mulier, Raf Simons has won a CFDA award and turned the company’s minimalist flagship on Madison into a yellow fantasyland of art and fashion.

— cathy horyn, The Cut, "Why I’m Actually Looking Forward to New York Fashion Week," 22 Aug. 2017
Fabien Baron, then the creative director of Harper’s Bazaar, had arranged to introduce the 20-year-old Sorrenti to Klein.

— Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Moss's New Obsession," 15 Aug. 2017
They’ve been praised by critics from NPR, Noisey, and the New York Times, for their creative, guitar-forward sound.

— brittany martin, Los Angeles Magazine, "The 10 Bands You Don’t Want to Miss at Echo Park Rising This Year," 11 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'creative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of creative

see ¹create

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1678

See Words from the same year

creative Synonyms

Synonyms

clever, imaginative, ingenious, innovational, innovative, innovatory, inventive, original, originative, Promethean

Antonyms

uncreative, unimaginative, uninventive, unoriginal

Related Words

gifted, inspired, talented; resourceful; fecund, fertile, fruitful, generative, germinal, productive, prolific

Near Antonyms

imitative, uninspired; infertile, unproductive; talentless

creative

noun

Definition of creative

1 :one who is creative; especially :one involved in the creation of advertisements

2 :creative activity or the material produced by it especially in advertising

Recent Examples of creative from the Web

Similar things are happening across the country, but Portland feels particularly unsafe because the city is 76 percent white, said Stephanie Duncker, a black creative who has lived in New York and Florida.

— casey parks, OregonLive.com, "Portland's people of color felt under attack long before MAX stabbings," 3 June 2017
Rocket League creative will air across WWE Network, WWE’s digital and social channels, and on WWE’s flagship TV programs Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live on USA Network.

— posted jim varsallone, miamiherald, "Psyonix, WWE announce Rocket League partnership," 17 May 2017

Origin and Etymology of creative

see ¹create

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1938

See Words from the same year

Other Business Terms

amortize, caveat emptor, clearinghouse, divest, due diligence, emolument, green-collar, marque, overhead, perquisite

CREATIVE Defined for English Language Learners

creative

adjective

Definition of creative for English Language Learners

: having or showing an ability to make new things or think of new ideas
: using the ability to make or think of new things : involving the process by which new ideas, stories, etc., are created
: done in an unusual and often dishonest way

CREATIVE Defined for Kids

creative

adjective cre·a·tive \ krē-ˈā-tiv \

Definition of creative for Students

:able to invent or produce new and original things

—

creatively

adverb

—

creativeness

noun

Word Root of creative

The Latin word creāre, meaning “to produce” or “to cause,” gives us the root cre. Words from the Latin creāre have something to do with producing or causing. To create something is to produce it. Anyone creative is able to produce new and original things. A creature is a being that was alive when it was produced