creative

adjective

krē-ˈā-tiv How to pronounce creative (audio)
Definition of creativenext
1
as in innovative
having the skill and imagination to create new things Thomas Edison's status as perhaps America's greatest creative genius

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imaginative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing always coming up with creative ways to use hamburger

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of creative Yagher says he was largely left to his own devices and given a lot of creative freedom with the video, shooting on the existing but expanded set to fit the dancers. — Chaz Kangas, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 Working with creative leaders also taught him the importance of believing in a vision and bringing others along. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026 Asheville, North Carolina Two years after Hurricane Helene descended on Asheville, the creative spirit of the artsy Appalachian city is back and better than ever. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026 This creative freedom directly led to the creation of Google News and AdSense. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for creative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creative
  1. innovative
  2. imaginative
  3. inventive
  4. clever
  5. talented
Adjective
  • The framework enables full-time employees to spend one day a week exploring unconventional, innovative ideas.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Musk has many critics, but Marian Tupy, a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute, says non-conformists like Musk often lead innovative companies that help drive economic growth.
    — Frank Langfitt, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • From the in-room Alice in Wonderland–themed teacups to the residence’s private library, each whimsical element offers guests a sense of imaginative comfort blended with timeless sophistication.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Kotelnicki also called an imaginative double-pass in which Marshall threw to backup quarterback Cole Ballard; Ballard lofted it back toward Marshall, who embarked on a deep sideline route.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of imaginative
Adjective
  • The Moon’s square to inventive Uranus favors experimenting when the original approach hits a snag.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Upon its initial release, the album cemented My Chemical Romance's shift from mainstays of the emo scene to mainstream recognition, becoming one of the most inventive bands of the 21st century.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of inventive
Adjective
  • More Life Kit on home organization 5 clever design tricks to make a small home look bigger.
    — Andee Tagle, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Airbnb’s story began back in 2007 with three air mattresses in a San Francisco living room—prompting then-roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia to conceive clever ways to make rent.
    — Kelsey Stewart, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • Loose and populated by talented people, Minimum Wage fits in with a lot of the more web-friendly programming that Netflix has been tiptoeing around recently with podcasts and medium-jumping formats.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Watkins headlines a talented group of stars, including AP Player of the Year Sarah Strong of UConn, Hannah Hidalgo of Notre Dame and South Carolina's Joyce Edwards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of talented

Browse Nearby Words

creations
creative
creativeness
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Cite this Entry

“Creative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creative. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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