imaginative

adjective imag·i·na·tive \ i-ˈmaj-nə-tiv ; -ˈma-jə-ˌnā- , -nə- \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Examples: imaginative in a Sentence

Definition of imaginative

1 a : of, relating to, or characterized by imagination

b : devoid of truth : false

2 : given to imagining : having a lively imagination

3 : of or relating to images; especially : showing a command of imagery

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imaginatively

adverb

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imaginativeness

noun

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Examples of imaginative in a Sentence

She wrote an imaginative story about life on the planet Venus.
The restaurant's menu is quite imaginative.

Recent Examples of imaginative from the Web

Architecture fans and students from all over the world have visited the compound to see the imaginative and other-worldly buildings that Hubbell designed and built with his son from the 1950s-1960s.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "At 86, artist Hubbell isn't slowing down," 3 June 2018
Ratmansky’s version featured wildly imaginative and playful sets and costumes by the artist Mark Ryden.

— hamish bowles, Vogue, "American Ballet Theatre Revives the Color and Comedy of Marius Petipa's Harlequinade," 24 May 2018
Still, the Serenade is fascinating, imaginative, eventful.

— tim smith, baltimoresun.com, "BSO delivers bracing Bernstein program with Benedetti, Alsop," 7 May 2018
There are some who might quibble with the decision to cast a movie star as a woman of extremely limited means — a judgment that effectively reduces good acting to a purity test, rather than a feat of imaginative empathy.

— justin chang, latimes.com, "'Where Is Kyra?': Michelle Pfeiffer's brilliant performance holds the answer," 12 Apr. 2018
Being imaginative doesn’t mean being unrealistic, and caution isn’t cowardice.

— peggy noonan, WSJ, "What Does This Moment Demand of Us?," 26 Apr. 2018
Already driven to the brink of insanity, McDonald captures the paranoia that had gripped the more imaginative American citizens of the time.

— tom philip, GQ, "One of the all-time great animated movies is streaming now.," 24 Apr. 2018
Rather than being a pitfall to painting, the imaginative leaps that homeless representation triggers give Bradford’s art its kick and resonance.

— david pagel, latimes.com, "'Mark Bradford: New Works' at Hauser & Wirth," 24 Mar. 2018
There is a very good argument that Real Madrid would play better, more imaginative football without him, but who would dare relinquish his goals?

— jonathan wilson, SI.com, "Ronaldo, Real Madrid Deal PSG More Failure; Liverpool Eases to UCL Quarterfinals," 6 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'imaginative.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of imaginative

Middle English ymaginatif "employing mental images, curious, inventive," borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French, "of the imagination, having a strong imagination, shrewd," borrowed from Medieval Latin imāginātīvus "of the imagination," from Latin imāginātus, past participle of imāginārī "to imagine" + -īvus -ive

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year