as in interpretative
serving to explain
an edition of Shakespeare's plays with many interpretive footnotes that students should find very helpful
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of interpretive
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
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
While the cause and provenance can be frustratingly complex, there is no interpretive labor required to arrive at either diagnosis or prognosis.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
In the year since, NPS staff have removed or flagged interpretive signs at dozens of NPS locations, from the Stonewall in New York City to Glacier National Park in Montana.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 6 Mar. 2026
Still, Gu’s interpretive garment may be an early indicator of how Met Gala guests will arrive on the first Monday of May; after all, this year’s theme is Fashion is Art, and some will undoubtedly take direct inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s vast collection.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
But Zakir’s stitches enact interpretive choice—what to magnify, where to mark, what to obscure.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
In 2024, after pressure from the tribal community and others, the National Park Service began removing a 2-mile-long fence that prevented the tule elk from roaming freely and introduced new signs and interpretive programs that incorporated traditional ecological knowledge.
—Clare E. Boerigter, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2026
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
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
While the cause and provenance can be frustratingly complex, there is no interpretive labor required to arrive at either diagnosis or prognosis.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
In the year since, NPS staff have removed or flagged interpretive signs at dozens of NPS locations, from the Stonewall in New York City to Glacier National Park in Montana.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 6 Mar. 2026
Still, Gu’s interpretive garment may be an early indicator of how Met Gala guests will arrive on the first Monday of May; after all, this year’s theme is Fashion is Art, and some will undoubtedly take direct inspiration from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s vast collection.
—Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
But Zakir’s stitches enact interpretive choice—what to magnify, where to mark, what to obscure.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
In 2024, after pressure from the tribal community and others, the National Park Service began removing a 2-mile-long fence that prevented the tule elk from roaming freely and introduced new signs and interpretive programs that incorporated traditional ecological knowledge.
—Clare E. Boerigter, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interpretive
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
Cite this Entry
“Interpretive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interpretive. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
