expressive
adjective
ex·pres·sive
ik-ˈspre-siv 
1
: of or relating to expression
the expressive function of language
2
: serving to express, utter, or represent
… foul and novel terms expressive of rage.—
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells3
: effectively conveying meaning or feeling
an expressive silence
expressive line drawings
expressively
adverb
expressiveness
noun
Examples of expressive in a Sentence
the expressive function of language
the teacher's expressive sigh showed that she had heard that excuse many times before
Recent Examples on the Web
Under the hood, Sprout uses a highly articulated body with 29 degrees of freedom to support smooth movement and expressive gestures.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Blessed with wonderfully expressive, almost boyish faces, these actors are barely able to contain their excitement about taking this journey together.
—Jenny Lumet, Vanity Fair, 10 Feb. 2026
The children playing Lamia and Saeed had no training as actors, yet both are fanatically precise, effortlessly expressive, and pensively deep-hearted.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Advertisement In a recent interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Liu attributed her pre-comeback disillusionment with the sport to controlling expectations over her diet and her expressive choices in competition, a particularly toxic mandate in a sport where scoring is dependent on aesthetics.
—Jasmine Wynn, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expressive
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Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Blessed with wonderfully expressive, almost boyish faces, these actors are barely able to contain their excitement about taking this journey together.
—Jenny Lumet, Vanity Fair, 10 Feb. 2026
The children playing Lamia and Saeed had no training as actors, yet both are fanatically precise, effortlessly expressive, and pensively deep-hearted.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Advertisement In a recent interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Liu attributed her pre-comeback disillusionment with the sport to controlling expectations over her diet and her expressive choices in competition, a particularly toxic mandate in a sport where scoring is dependent on aesthetics.
—Jasmine Wynn, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expressive
Cite this Entry
“Expressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expressive. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expressive
adjective
ex·pres·sive
ik-ˈspres-iv
1
: of or relating to expression
2
: serving to express
3
: full of expression
also
: openly expressing one's feelings
an expressive face
expressively
adverb
expressiveness
noun
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