evocative

1 of 2

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

evocativeness

2 of 2

noun

evoc·​a·​tive·​ness

plural -es

: evocative quality

the enormous evocativeness of the picture and its curious feeling of timelessness

—R. M. Coates

Synonyms of evocative

Adjective

• reminiscent

Examples of evocative in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

Heartthrob, fashion model, trendsetter and pin-up, Best was conflicted and contradictory, evocative and elegant. — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

And Tolkien’s once-reassuring words were paired with evocative horror imagery. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026

The original film was more about the connections baseball builds in families, particularly between fathers and sons, and Costner was a key to the emotional and evocative feeling connecting all in attendance and watching on TV. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026

Some describe it as evocative of a cozy grandparents’ house, old furniture, or closets full of vintage clothing. — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

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