instructive
adjective
in·struc·tive
in-ˈstrək-tiv 
: carrying a lesson : enlightening
instructively
adverb
instructiveness
noun
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
But to do so would be like analyzing Moby-Dick as a field guide to cetaceans—instructive in its way but kind of missing the point.
—
Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Is the result more engaging or instructive than a documentary might have been?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Other surveys, such as a layoffs report from outsourcing and placement services firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, is sometimes instructive but far less robust than the BLS report.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Here’s where the contrasting case of North Korea becomes instructive.
—Vipin Narang, Foreign Affairs, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instructive
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
Is the result more engaging or instructive than a documentary might have been?
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Other surveys, such as a layoffs report from outsourcing and placement services firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, is sometimes instructive but far less robust than the BLS report.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Here’s where the contrasting case of North Korea becomes instructive.
—Vipin Narang, Foreign Affairs, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instructive
Cite this Entry
“Instructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instructive. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
instructive
adjective
in·struc·tive
in-ˈstrək-tiv
: giving knowledge : helping to instruct or inform
an instructive experience
instructively
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share