descriptive

adjective

Definition of descriptivenext
as in graphic
having many features or details He told a descriptive story about his trip to Spain that captured our attention. An overly descriptive account of the movie that left little to the imagination.

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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 descriptive But perhaps more importantly, for those who would never be able to make such a journey, the book exported the Holy Land to a curious European Christian audience through its illustrations and descriptive text. — Shay Rabineau, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026 The closest thing to a benchmark is descriptive rather than prescriptive. — Shweta Gummidipudi, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The Stanford authors say their findings are descriptive patterns, not causal estimates, and the gaps shrink when education is accounted for. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026 Lucia is a largely benevolent force, found in the hospital casebook’s endless descriptive lines. — Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for descriptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for descriptive
  1. graphic
  2. realistic
  3. vivid
  4. expressive
  5. picturesque
  6. photographic
  7. accurate
  8. specific
Adjective
  • The legendary graphic designer Tibor Kalman (who created Colors magazine) designed a collection of watches in the nineties that are now being reissued as they were originally produced, by M & Co Labs ($250).
    — Nicholas Blechman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The brand has grown from its original offering of signature hats and graphic tees into outerwear, denim and a full women’s range.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of graphic
Adjective
  • Hoyer will be under the gun again to make the Cubs a realistic championship contender, but apparently only from fans since Chairman Tom Ricketts appears satisfied with the status quo.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Someone pursuing a major objective must define what completion requires, identify deliverables, determine dependencies, estimate resources, build a realistic schedule and monitor progress.
    — Desiree’ Stapleton, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of realistic
Adjective
  • The outlines of her life were clear but the insides dark, lit up by vivid memories here and there.
    — Kieran Setiya, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Monitor Heartland Correspondent Harry Bruinius spent months on the Mother Road looking for those kinds of stories, and revealed a vivid portrait of Americans and their country.
    — Harry Bruinius, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of vivid
Adjective
  • If a small team can build something playable and expressive enough to assess earlier, the expensive decisions can come later, when there is a much better sense of what works.
    — Ben Feder, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Students and faculty shouldn’t have to finance years of litigation to enjoy the expressive freedoms their universities promise.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of expressive
Adjective
  • The town is framed by the picturesque sandstone cursive of Comb Ridge, the stone spires of Monument Valley peeking over the ridgeline.
    — Adam Burke, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Ji-hyun pities Nakano, but maintains boundaries between them even after the two go to South Korea to visit Ji-hyun’s warm and supportive family at their picturesque restaurant by the sea.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of picturesque
Adjective
  • Several years later, there was another photographic survey of the site, and the sculpture was no longer there.
    — Kelley Engelbrecht, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Comeaux warned that additional video and photographic evidence continues to arrive.
    — Doug Myers, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of photographic
Adjective
  • An accurate travel insurance comparison accounts for multiple factors.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The database was developed using portions of a commercially available version of California’s voter rolls that the government acknowledged might not be entirely accurate.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of accurate
Adjective
  • New materials, colors and finishes, including a California-specific fabric and color scheme, further distinguish the camper van's interior look and feel from the rest of the Volkswagen van lineup.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Georgiev-Remmel told the court there was no specific date set to carry out any removals.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of specific

Browse Nearby Words

descriptions
descriptive
descry
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Cite this Entry

“Descriptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/descriptive. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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