as in interpretative
serving to explain
an edition of Shakespeare's plays with many interpretive footnotes that students should find very helpful
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Recent Examples of interpretive
That burden, along with the conventions of the true-crime genre, not to mention that of theater in service of a political point, sometimes hampers the interpretive space of the actors and the creative team, who have to spend a lot of their time getting the facts and the history across.
—
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The site also features three miles of nature trails and a Treetop Discovery Tower with views of Lake Huron, the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Island, along with interpretive programming that explains how sawn lumber was rafted across behind sailing ships.
—Andy Morrison, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Ditto Dor, a former ballerina who pitches her character’s upwardly mobile striver somewhere between sultry slapstick and interpretive dance.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
If hired, interpretive rangers may be required to live in government quarters, wear a uniform, and be available to work on-call, including weekends and holidays, and to work overtime.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
And some — like an inquiry for a previous edition of a Boiling Point newsletter about an interpretive exhibit under scrutiny at Death Valley National Park — were fielded by a spokesperson for the Interior Department , rather than the park itself.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 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
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
In literary translation, the term compensation refers to a moment where something lost in one part of the text is recouped elsewhere — not through direct replacement, but through a kind of interpretive counterweight.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The site also features three miles of nature trails and a Treetop Discovery Tower with views of Lake Huron, the Straits of Mackinac and Mackinac Island, along with interpretive programming that explains how sawn lumber was rafted across behind sailing ships.
—Andy Morrison, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Ditto Dor, a former ballerina who pitches her character’s upwardly mobile striver somewhere between sultry slapstick and interpretive dance.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
If hired, interpretive rangers may be required to live in government quarters, wear a uniform, and be available to work on-call, including weekends and holidays, and to work overtime.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 27 Mar. 2026
And some — like an inquiry for a previous edition of a Boiling Point newsletter about an interpretive exhibit under scrutiny at Death Valley National Park — were fielded by a spokesperson for the Interior Department , rather than the park itself.
—Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 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
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
In literary translation, the term compensation refers to a moment where something lost in one part of the text is recouped elsewhere — not through direct replacement, but through a kind of interpretive counterweight.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interpretive
Adjective
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Emmie’s condition is an interpretative riddle for both her parents and the reader.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
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But last night was illustrative of his season so far.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Maps may show metro lines in different colors, but that’s usually just for illustrative purposes.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Interpretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interpretive. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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