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
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The back-up dancers captured interpretive elements of Carrión’s discography and demonstrated their skill and strength while performing gravity-defying breakdancing numbers and theatrical battle scenes.—
Rosy Alvarez,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2025
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The pearl, in this analogy, is an interpretive reading.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Company examples are provided for illustrative purposes only.—
Roomy Khan,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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This illustrative image shows antennas of the former Short Wave Issuing Center of Radio Nacional de Espana in Arganda Del Rey, near Madrid on April 1, 2023.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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An explanatory note to the bill said that Russia has had no representative in the European Committee of the Council of Europe since 2023, with the country blocked from the body following its aggression in Ukraine.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
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People are entities that generate explanatory knowledge: reasons, theories, models.—
Philip Maymin,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Explicative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/explicative. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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