as in interpretive
serving to explain
illuminative descriptions of the sights to be seen from the observatory gave us a much better idea of what we were looking at
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Recent Examples of illuminative
Hybrid lanterns that meet the aforementioned criteria are indeed out there, waiting to illuminate your next campsite, glamping trip, picnic, late-night reading session, or simply to add a little illuminative flare to that embarrassingly barren bookshelf in time for the next Zoom meeting.
—
J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022
Along the way, Robbins spices his story through illuminative moments and mini-biographies.
—OregonLive.com, 14 Oct. 2017
J.d. Simkins, Sunset Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022
Along the way, Robbins spices his story through illuminative moments and mini-biographies.
—OregonLive.com, 14 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illuminative
Adjective
-
Jonathan plays piano with unusual introspection and carries an interpretive voice that balances clarity, tenderness, and conviction.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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Spotting a moose or a pack of wolves on a carcass, for instance, helps resource management teams track animal activity and allows interpretive rangers to point other visitors toward memorable experiences.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Will the academy troll Chalamet (and the rest of us) with an interpretative dance performance?—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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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
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Illuminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminative. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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