as in interpretative
serving to explain
an edition of Shakespeare's plays with many interpretive footnotes that students should find very helpful
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Recent Examples of interpretive
Ditto Dor, a former ballerina who pitches her character’s upwardly mobile striver somewhere between sultry slapstick and interpretive dance.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
If hired, interpretive rangers may be required to live in government quarters, wear a uniform, and be available to work on-call, including weekends and holidays, and to work overtime.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
And some — like an inquiry for a previous edition of a Boiling Point newsletter about an interpretive exhibit under scrutiny at Death Valley National Park — were fielded by a spokesperson for the Interior Department , rather than the park itself.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Jonathan plays piano with unusual introspection and carries an interpretive voice that balances clarity, tenderness, and conviction.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Spotting a moose or a pack of wolves on a carcass, for instance, helps resource management teams track animal activity and allows interpretive rangers to point other visitors toward memorable experiences.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2026
In literary translation, the term compensation refers to a moment where something lost in one part of the text is recouped elsewhere — not through direct replacement, but through a kind of interpretive counterweight.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Still, Gu’s interpretive garment may be an early indicator of how Met Gala guests will arrive on the first Monday of May; after all, this year’s theme is Fashion is Art, and some will undoubtedly take direct inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s vast collection.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
The art world’s interpretive frameworks operate as threshold mechanisms that determine what can surface into visibility and what remains structurally excluded.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
If hired, interpretive rangers may be required to live in government quarters, wear a uniform, and be available to work on-call, including weekends and holidays, and to work overtime.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
And some — like an inquiry for a previous edition of a Boiling Point newsletter about an interpretive exhibit under scrutiny at Death Valley National Park — were fielded by a spokesperson for the Interior Department , rather than the park itself.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Jonathan plays piano with unusual introspection and carries an interpretive voice that balances clarity, tenderness, and conviction.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
Spotting a moose or a pack of wolves on a carcass, for instance, helps resource management teams track animal activity and allows interpretive rangers to point other visitors toward memorable experiences.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2026
In literary translation, the term compensation refers to a moment where something lost in one part of the text is recouped elsewhere — not through direct replacement, but through a kind of interpretive counterweight.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Still, Gu’s interpretive garment may be an early indicator of how Met Gala guests will arrive on the first Monday of May; after all, this year’s theme is Fashion is Art, and some will undoubtedly take direct inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s vast collection.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
The art world’s interpretive frameworks operate as threshold mechanisms that determine what can surface into visibility and what remains structurally excluded.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interpretive
Adjective
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Emmie’s condition is an interpretative riddle for both her parents and the reader.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Will the academy troll Chalamet (and the rest of us) with an interpretative dance performance?—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Maps may show metro lines in different colors, but that’s usually just for illustrative purposes.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Apr. 2026
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Its home screen’s hourly forecast consists of temperatures, weather icons, and illustrative background visuals, such as gloomy rain clouds, that sometimes fail to match the view out the window.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Interpretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interpretive. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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