as in interpretive
serving to explain
a dearth of explicative material to help the layman understand the difficult subject matter
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of explicative
While Clarkson was amazed by her skills, Parton was able to slip in an explicative on daytime television.
—
Vulture, 21 Dec. 2022
Much of the dialogue is obvious and explicative; young Bode sometimes sounds like a middle-aged professor.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2020
There are periodic explicative orations about the state of the nation.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2019
Video posted on the Twitter feed of Robin Bell shows the explicative term in question emblazoned across the wall of the hotel, backed by a cascade of poop emojis.
—Michelle Hunter, NOLA.com, 14 Jan. 2018
Vulture, 21 Dec. 2022
Much of the dialogue is obvious and explicative; young Bode sometimes sounds like a middle-aged professor.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2020
There are periodic explicative orations about the state of the nation.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2019
Video posted on the Twitter feed of Robin Bell shows the explicative term in question emblazoned across the wall of the hotel, backed by a cascade of poop emojis.
—Michelle Hunter, NOLA.com, 14 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for explicative
Adjective
-
This illustrative image from June 12 shows activists rallying outside Egypt's Journalists Syndicate in Cairo.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 June 2025
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This illustrative image shows a Ukrainian drone operator pilots an attack drone near the southern frontline on February 21, 2024.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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Of all the various isms proposed to capture Trump’s ideology, social Darwinism has perhaps the most explanatory power.—
Erik Baker,
Harpers Magazine,
18 June 2025
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That by itself seemed innocuous, and thus the prosecutor (who did not have easy access to the explanatory data) was unable to explain to the judge why the office had decided to seek confinement.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explicative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explicative. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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