innovative

adjective in·no·va·tive \ ˈi-nə-ˌvā-tiv \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of innovative

: characterized by, tending to, or introducing innovations

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innovatively

adverb

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innovativeness

noun

See innovative defined for English-language learners

Examples of innovative in a Sentence

an innovative approach to the problem
a creative and innovative young designer

Recent Examples of innovative from the Web

If the hoodie has matched proper tailoring as a hallmark of the modern fashion-minded man, we're officially primed to see design in its most innovative and refined form go big.

— matt sebra, GQ, "The Hottest Menswear Is Made by Women's Designers," 12 Apr. 2018
One of the most innovative of this new crop of musicians is Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra, a Puerto-Rican American performer born in New York and now based in New Orleans.

— noah berlatsky, Chicago Reader, "Hurray for the Riff Raff sings folk music for everyone," 12 Apr. 2018
Transferable exclusivity rewards must be reserved for the most innovative and critically needed antibiotics, and aren’t appropriate for modest variations on existing drugs.

— kevin outterson, STAT, "Innovative ways to pay for new antibiotics will help fight superbugs," 11 Apr. 2018
While not as big of a name as some other members of the Crimson Tide staff, Allen is beloved inside the Alabama program and has long been considered one of the best and most innovative athletic trainers in the country.

— matt zenitz, AL.com, "Alabama's Jeff Allen wins National Athletic Trainer of Year," 29 Mar. 2018
What happens when 12 of the most innovative international choreographers are given the opportunity to create with uniquely expressive and daring dancers?

— San Francisco Chronicle, "San Francisco Ballet's ‘Unbound: A Festival of New Works’," 28 Mar. 2018
The Bloomberg Innovation Index ranks Massachusetts as the most innovative state in the country, ahead of California, using measures like the concentration of science and engineering employment, productivity, and patent activity.

— scott kirsner, BostonGlobe.com, "How innovative is Massachusetts? Let’s look at the numbers," 23 Mar. 2018
Cutting into people’s DNA is a much more direct route than previous vaccine efforts have taken, even the most innovative ones.

— becky little, Smithsonian, "Can We Gene-Edit Herpes Away?," 23 Mar. 2018
Keep scrolling to see the boldest, most innovative winged eyeliner trends on Instagram. 1.

— devon abelman, Allure, "13 Unexpected Ways to Wear Winged Eyeliner That Are Taking Over Instagram," 9 Mar. 2018

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