instructive
adjective
in·struc·tive
in-ˈstrək-tiv 
: carrying a lesson : enlightening
instructively
adverb
instructiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of instructive in a Sentence
an interesting and instructive lesson
an instructive demonstration of the proper way to pack a suitcase so your clothes don't arrive in a mess
Recent Examples on the Web
That made the crowd-pleasing set by Electric Light Orchestra, which followed, all the more instructive.
—
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2023
In both cases, the contrast with Mr. Reagan — and with the economic environment of the early 1980s — is instructive.
—Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 7 Nov. 2023
The process may be instructive when considering what jury selection will look like in the election interference cases unfolding in Fulton County.
—George Chidi, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
The Islamic State analogy is instructive for other reasons, too: Over the span of half a decade, the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition dropped roughly 2,000 to 5,000 munitions on Iraq and Syria each month.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023
And the seniors profiled in the story were full of good cheer: this was instructive.
—Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Coming back to the utility of economic projections: To be fair, long-range projections can be reasonably instructive, viewed with the proper horizon.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
Not every density hearing devolves into projections about the next Pizzagate, but the spectacle is still pretty instructive.
—Molly Osberg, Curbed, 4 Aug. 2023
That my family handed down these particular anecdotes—selected from the slush pile of history— is instructive.
—TIME, 5 Oct. 2023
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George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Nov. 2023
In both cases, the contrast with Mr. Reagan — and with the economic environment of the early 1980s — is instructive.
—Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 7 Nov. 2023
The process may be instructive when considering what jury selection will look like in the election interference cases unfolding in Fulton County.
—George Chidi, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
The Islamic State analogy is instructive for other reasons, too: Over the span of half a decade, the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition dropped roughly 2,000 to 5,000 munitions on Iraq and Syria each month.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2023
And the seniors profiled in the story were full of good cheer: this was instructive.
—Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2023
Coming back to the utility of economic projections: To be fair, long-range projections can be reasonably instructive, viewed with the proper horizon.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2023
Not every density hearing devolves into projections about the next Pizzagate, but the spectacle is still pretty instructive.
—Molly Osberg, Curbed, 4 Aug. 2023
That my family handed down these particular anecdotes—selected from the slush pile of history— is instructive.
—TIME, 5 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'instructive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1611, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near instructive
Cite this Entry
“Instructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instructive. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
instructive
adjective
in·struc·tive
in-ˈstrək-tiv
: giving knowledge : helping to instruct or inform
an instructive experience
instructively
adverb
More from Merriam-Webster on instructive
Nglish: Translation of instructive for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of instructive for Arabic Speakers
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