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

Amy was never the best singer or the best musician in a gathering, but her earnest desire to see the world through a lens of love was transformative, to herself and to her audience. —Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026

As chief executive of one of the largest multinational companies in the world, Alex Molinaroli has been at the centre of many transformative decisions. —Nia Bowers, Ascend Agency, 20 Feb. 2026

But judging by a public outcry that’s gone viral on social media, the transformative switch is off to a turbulent start. —Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

The most transformative, curative, and life-affirming parts of the psychedelic experience include both ritual process and community involvement. —Erica Rex, STAT, 19 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