as in creative
having a role in deciding something's final form
a teacher who was a formative influence on generations of students
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Recent Examples of formative
Beyond the beauty shop, the football field and church were formative sites.
—
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
For Cowley, born in 1898 and reared in Pittsburgh in a middle-class family without much money, taking a break from college proved formative.
—Michael Gorra, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
I'mPhaedra Trethan, mourning the loss of Pierre Robert, a longtime Philadelphia DJ and one of the gentlest, kindest voices of my (and many others') formative years.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
This episode — which consists almost entirely of characters sharing formative incidents from their pasts — is an unusually blunt device for delivering backstory.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for formative
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
For Cowley, born in 1898 and reared in Pittsburgh in a middle-class family without much money, taking a break from college proved formative.
—Michael Gorra, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025
I'mPhaedra Trethan, mourning the loss of Pierre Robert, a longtime Philadelphia DJ and one of the gentlest, kindest voices of my (and many others') formative years.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
This episode — which consists almost entirely of characters sharing formative incidents from their pasts — is an unusually blunt device for delivering backstory.
—Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for formative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formative
Adjective
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Rich Little Brokegirls founder Kimberly Bizu sat down with creator and corporate strategist Jodie Taylor, discussing what women of color navigating corporate spaces and creative careers need to know.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
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Anyone vaguely near the aesthetic gets christened it by fans, including Bassvictim, who were always funnier and more creative than the other modern electroclash revivalists.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The center has been highly productive, ranging from $2,000 to up to $3,000 in peak years.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
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For example, staying up late to complete a task may allow it to be finished before bed, but the next day will be less productive.—
Ashley Olivine,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Automation can go in either of these directions; that’s why the task of the left is to create social and cultural conditions in which the benign and constructive aspects of technology and automation are primary.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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Or perhaps a constructive metaphor is better—a social order starts to creak into place.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Formative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formative. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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