instructive

adjective

in·​struc·​tive in-ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce instructive (audio)
Synonyms of instructivenext
: 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
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.
The last 10 quarterbacks elected to the Hall of Fame as modern-era candidates could be instructive for Wilson. Mike Sando, New York Times, 5 June 2026 India’s version of strategic autonomy is, perhaps, the most developed and instructive. Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 4 June 2026 The most instructive parallel to today’s AI boom may be the railroad construction boom of the 1870s and 1880s. Fortune, 2 June 2026 The political economy of Michigan provides an instructive explanation. Andrew Cockburn, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for instructive

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instructive was in 1611

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Cite this Entry

“Instructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instructive. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

instructive

adjective
in·​struc·​tive in-ˈstrək-tiv How to pronounce instructive (audio)
: giving knowledge : helping to instruct or inform
an instructive experience
instructively adverb

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