cre·a·tive
krē-ˈā-tiv 
ˈkrē-ˌā-
1
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
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
Examples of creative in a Sentence
Adjective
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 on the Web
Mauricio Savarese, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2025
Sanlorenzo Arts–a creative hub dedicated to the artistic and cultural initiatives of luxury yacht pioneers Sanlorenzo–has been unveiled in Venice during the inaugural Venice Climate Week (3-8 June, 2025), as the lagoon city presents la Biennale di Architettura.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
After a 1990 sequel, the Predator series has been all over the place, including the past, the future and a 2010 sequel so vague that even the film's creatives aren't entirely sure when it’s set.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for creative
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
The result was a team that successfully blocked the hosts almost all of the match but also failed to be creative and aggressive in offense, a flaw also under Ancelotti’s predecessors.
—Mauricio Savarese, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2025
Sanlorenzo Arts–a creative hub dedicated to the artistic and cultural initiatives of luxury yacht pioneers Sanlorenzo–has been unveiled in Venice during the inaugural Venice Climate Week (3-8 June, 2025), as the lagoon city presents la Biennale di Architettura.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Noun
Pros agree getting a degree in the U.S. provides a clear, structured path for aspiring creatives looking to enter Hollywood’s animation industry.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
After a 1990 sequel, the Predator series has been all over the place, including the past, the future and a 2010 sequel so vague that even the film's creatives aren't entirely sure when it’s set.
—Keith Langston, People.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for creative
Cite this Entry
“Creative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creative. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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