inventive

adjective

in·​ven·​tive in-ˈven-tiv 

1

: adept or prolific at producing inventions : creative

an inventive mind

2

: characterized by invention

an inventive method

inventively adverb

inventiveness noun

Synonyms of inventive

• innovative
• imaginative
• creative
• clever

Examples of inventive in a Sentence

They have given their new company an inventive name.

inventive ways to use leftovers

Recent Examples on the Web

And unlike lobster rolls, which have a pretty canonical form, sushi in Boston runs the gamut from highly traditional to the wildly inventive. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026

From Prada’s reimagining of wardrobe essentials to the inventive layering at Celine and the collision of texture and print at Marni, the season invited us to look twice and consider why and how each element works together. — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026

Those constraints helped inspire an inventive restaurant influenced by the Philippines, where David is from. — Michelle Polizzi, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026

The film ties these events into larger concerns surrounding freedom of the press and some inventive government conspiracies. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for inventive

• agentive
• attentive
• incentive
• preventive
• retentive
• disincentive
• inattentive

Kids Definition

inventive

adjective

in·​ven·​tive in-ˈvent-iv 

: gifted with the skill and imagination to invent

inventively adverb

inventiveness noun