as in interpretive
serving to explain
a dearth of explicative material to help the layman understand the difficult subject matter
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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
-
Theatergoers have to improvise their own interpretive strategies as the play shifts and shifts again.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 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
Adjective
-
Will the academy troll Chalamet (and the rest of us) with an interpretative dance performance?—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Fleming’s sets feel like an interpretative dance-heavy trip through one person’s notes app list of intrusive thoughts.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Polished concrete floors, plaster walls, steel fixtures, and simple wood elements are frequently leveraged to create the restrained, monochromatic palette that is so illustrative of Brutalism.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As the ceremony went on, his material focused on mocking things that undermine respect for the movies with bits about ads interrupting streaming movies, vertical video, and overly explanatory movie dialogue.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The Associated Press receives support from the Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Explicative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explicative. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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