descriptive
adjective
de·scrip·tive
di-ˈskrip-tiv 
1
: presenting observations about the characteristics of someone or something : serving to describe
a descriptive account
2
a
: referring to, constituting, or grounded in matters of observation or experience
the descriptive basis of science
b
: factually grounded or informative rather than normative, prescriptive, or emotive
descriptive cultural studies
3
of a modifier
a
: expressing the quality, kind, or condition of what is denoted by the modified term
hot in "hot water" is a descriptive adjective
b
4
linguistics
: of, relating to, or dealing with the structure of a language at a particular time usually with exclusion of historical and comparative data
descriptive linguistics
descriptively
adverb
descriptiveness
noun
Examples of descriptive in a Sentence
She gave a descriptive account of the journey.
a talent for descriptive writing
a poem full of descriptive detail
The black cat was given the descriptive name “Midnight.”
The book is a descriptive grammar.
Recent Examples on the Web
For historical reasons, this process is misleadingly called recombination − combination would be more descriptive.
—
Stephen L. Levy, The Conversation, 23 June 2025
Like many of the names in Newfoundland that strike the visitor as humorous or quaint, Squid Tickle is straightforwardly descriptive.
—Robert Finch
june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
Why this is important for your business: According to the company key features include:
AI-Powered Store Builder: Merchants can enter a few descriptive keywords, and Shopify will generate three layout options with images and text, significantly reducing setup time.
—Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
The result is a riveting piece of fiction with descriptive language that punches you right in the gut.
—Bailey Seybolt, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descriptive
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Stephen L. Levy, The Conversation, 23 June 2025
Like many of the names in Newfoundland that strike the visitor as humorous or quaint, Squid Tickle is straightforwardly descriptive.
—Robert Finch
june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
Why this is important for your business: According to the company key features include:
AI-Powered Store Builder: Merchants can enter a few descriptive keywords, and Shopify will generate three layout options with images and text, significantly reducing setup time.
—Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
The result is a riveting piece of fiction with descriptive language that punches you right in the gut.
—Bailey Seybolt, People.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for descriptive
Cite this Entry
“Descriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/descriptive. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
descriptive
adjective
de·scrip·tive
di-ˈskrip-tiv
: serving to describe
a descriptive account
a descriptive adjective
descriptively
adverb
descriptiveness
noun
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