transformative

adjective

trans·​for·​ma·​tive tran(t)s-ˈfȯr-mə-tiv 

: causing or able to cause an important and lasting change in someone or something

a transformative experience

And she'll tell anyone who asks about her transformative weeks working for UNICEF in Congo and Cambodia.

—S. L. Price

It is increasingly hard to escape the conclusion that American politics has entered one of those rare transformative moments that shape the content of our public discourse and the direction of our governance for generations.

—Doug Ireland

Examples of transformative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Alberto Carvalho touted an AI chatbot as transformative technology in March 2024, but the project collapsed within months. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026

While sandals and boots have their time and place, lacing up a fresh pair of sneakers is transformative year-round. —Nina Derwin, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2026

The retrograde season is a transformative time, allowing for processing and learning from past mistakes to cleanse for the future. —Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 26 Feb. 2026

In a cultural environment where visibility is often fleeting, tangible support is transformative. —Photovogue, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for transformative

• germinative
• corroborative
• determinative
• forgive
• ogive
• outlive
• relive
• give
• sieve
• resistive