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
H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Large rock-face murals scattered across the desert in northern Saudi Arabia represent one of the most ambitious – and perilous – creative feats of ancient humans, with researchers arguing that the massive carvings acted as visual beacons, guiding people toward crucial water sources.
—New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2025
Allaire Nuss, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
The half-day event and cocktail reception will convene the industry’s most influential executives, marketers, creatives and cultural leaders to explore how brands are breaking through in today’s crowded media landscape.
—William Earl, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for creative
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Adjective
The series represents a new phase for Williams, taking creative control as a producer.
—H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Large rock-face murals scattered across the desert in northern Saudi Arabia represent one of the most ambitious – and perilous – creative feats of ancient humans, with researchers arguing that the massive carvings acted as visual beacons, guiding people toward crucial water sources.
—New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
Here, Case opens up to EW about the existential threats against musicians and other creatives, navigating her industry as a gender-fluid person, and using her songwriting to find beauty in sorrow.
—Allaire Nuss, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
The half-day event and cocktail reception will convene the industry’s most influential executives, marketers, creatives and cultural leaders to explore how brands are breaking through in today’s crowded media landscape.
—William Earl, Variety, 29 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 2025.
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