expressive
adjective
ex·pres·sive
ik-ˈspre-siv 
1
: of or relating to expression
the expressive function of language
2
: serving to express, utter, or represent
… foul and novel terms expressive of rage.—
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells3
: effectively conveying meaning or feeling
an expressive silence
expressive line drawings
expressively
adverb
expressiveness
noun
Examples of expressive in a Sentence
the expressive function of language
the teacher's expressive sigh showed that she had heard that excuse many times before
Recent Examples on the Web
As the Moon meets Jupiter in your 5th House of Creativity and Play, your attention naturally moves toward something expressive, fun, or personal.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
That same distinction sits at the heart of what Ortiz has created with Rocky — a presence that is tactile, expressive and alive.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
His practice hinges on improvisation, resulting in blunt, expressive, and unpredictable work.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Raphael could certainly extract feeling from the architecture of a body and the distribution of its weight, but the majority of his faces, even the most artificially expressive ones, are unburdened by anything like a psychology.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expressive
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Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
That same distinction sits at the heart of what Ortiz has created with Rocky — a presence that is tactile, expressive and alive.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
His practice hinges on improvisation, resulting in blunt, expressive, and unpredictable work.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026
Raphael could certainly extract feeling from the architecture of a body and the distribution of its weight, but the majority of his faces, even the most artificially expressive ones, are unburdened by anything like a psychology.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expressive
Cite this Entry
“Expressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expressive. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expressive
adjective
ex·pres·sive
ik-ˈspres-iv
1
: of or relating to expression
2
: serving to express
3
: full of expression
also
: openly expressing one's feelings
an expressive face
expressively
adverb
expressiveness
noun
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