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 His experience taught him how algorithms distribute content, how audiences respond and why creative work needs to keep changing after publication. — Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 That felt vulnerable and exposing and scary and [like] the biggest creative swing of my life. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026 Francis previously founded the creative culinary studio Yardy in 2017 and served as executive chef for MoMA PS1’s 50th Anniversary Gala earlier this year. — News Desk, Artforum, 21 Aug. 2026 Delphine Jelk, Guerlain master perfumer and creative director of fragrance, agrees. — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for creative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creative
  1. innovative
  2. imaginative
  3. inventive
  4. clever
  5. talented
Adjective
  • That has created a rare opportunity for indie devs who want to develop truly creative and innovative titles, many of which can and will become cornerstone franchises of the future.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The Class of 2030 also makes history as the first incoming class to experience Dreamscape Learn, an immersive virtual reality learning platform that brings innovative, experiential learning into the classroom.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • The whole business of poetry, the line breaks and stanzas, puts emphasis on imaginative edits and collaging.
    — Amitava Kumar, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Each new spot is an imaginative wonderland and will captivate the attentions of little ones, and parents.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of imaginative
Adjective
  • The pies range from classic to super inventive, like the fan favorite Phoenix pizza made with spicy sopresatta, red peppers and hot honey.
    — USA TODAY Network, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Those scares are best exemplified by the film’s most inventive setpiece, where Gemma gets lost in an endless pillow fort filled with baddies around every corner.
    — William Earl, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of inventive
Adjective
  • The midfielder is a clever front-foot defender, capable of an early tackle or interception to halt opposition momentum.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Allowing commercial director Joe Pytka to continue that work in a feature film that saw Jordan playing basketball alongside the Looney Tunes characters was a clever extension of the campaign.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of clever
Adjective
  • The nearby Park Hill high schools themselves have produced a number of talented players.
    — PJ Green August 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026
  • My father was a coal miner and a talented musician who would later perform in several local bluegrass bands.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 26 Aug. 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 28 Aug. 2026.

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