evocative

adjective

evoc·​a·​tive i-ˈvä-kə-tiv 

: evoking or tending to evoke an especially emotional response

settings … so evocative that they bring tears to the eyes

—Eric Malpass

evocatively adverb

evocativeness noun

Synonyms

• reminiscent

Examples of evocative in a Sentence

He wrote a powerful and evocative biography.

the Italian-American restaurant is decorated in a manner evocative of the charming outdoor cafés in Italy

Recent Examples on the Web

Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani The Gold Q-Hugo goes to BOUCHRA, directed by Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani, a heartfelt and evocative film that mixes animation and docu-fiction; in a year that highlights genre, this film boldly defies it. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025

Most control programs don’t have such an evocative enemy. —Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025

Her voice is a wonder – a powerful and evocative reflection on the culture and history of the country. —Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025

But the varied syncopation and intense emotional registers of Orthodox worship music informed his approach to an album that balances weighty introspection with buoyant production and evocative imagery. —Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for evocative

• provocative
• talkative
• vocative

Kids Definition

evocative

adjective

evoc·​a·​tive i-ˈväk-ət-iv 

: having the power to evoke an especially emotional response

an evocative photograph