inventive

adjective

in-ˈven-tiv How to pronounce inventive (audio)
Definition of inventivenext
1
as in innovative
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing inventive electronic games inventive ways to use leftovers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in creative
having the skill and imagination to create new things an inventive youth, he devised an automatic feeding system for his dog

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 inventive The most inventive kill here — set in a school gym, cuing death by treadmill and falling weights — is also the least motivated, but no matter. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 July 2026 That shape, whose contour resembles both an indecipherable ideogram and a flat asymmetrical spaceship, shows Parsons’s inventive side. — John Yau, ARTnews.com, 24 July 2026 Drawing inspiration from Superliminal, Sol blends optical illusions with an uncanny, dreamlike atmosphere that turns a familiar experience into an inventive mystery. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 23 July 2026 The original has since grown to four metro Atlanta locations, thanks to inventive takes on classic flavors. — Lia Picard, AJC.com, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for inventive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inventive
  1. innovative
  2. creative
  3. imaginative
  4. talented
  5. clever
Adjective
  • Most obviously, if IBM is so innovative, why have its own blockchain efforts proven a bust, and why is its broader business strategy in tatters?
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Talisman Designs is celebrated for creating innovative kitchen tools that add personality to every kitchen.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of innovative
Adjective
  • Food is creative and generally healthful, with plenty of veggie-forward options and lots of flavor.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • One such injury to Odegaard (knee) half an hour into a home win against West Ham in October halted Arteta’s experimentation with a more creative midfield setup of him and Eberechi Eze ahead of Rice.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of creative
Adjective
  • That was also the case for Farrell, 24, who has a similar profile as a savvy playmaker and imaginative chance-creator.
    — Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 July 2026
  • But while Kozue is a genuine, unapologetic weirdo, the film that is constructed around her soon betrays a less imaginative, more normative impulse — so much so that this coming-of-age story ultimately leaves a bitter taste.
    — Elena Lazic, Variety, 25 July 2026
Definition of imaginative
Adjective
  • Someone like Marcello Mastroianni, who always downplayed his being this super-talented artist, had a photographic memory and could learn everything by the first read.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026
  • Rogen also worked often with Jonah Hill (Knocked Up) and James Franco (Pineapple Express), but neither of those talented young filmmakers managed to match Rogen’s energy or resilience in conjuring future projects.
    — Peter Bart, Deadline, 30 July 2026
Definition of talented
Adjective
  • Cretton is the rare former indie filmmaker who pushes himself to stage clever action sequences.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • Octopuses are as clever, in their own way, as such famously brainy animals as crows, dolphins or chimpanzees.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 July 2026
Definition of clever

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Cite this Entry

“Inventive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inventive. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of inventive for Spanish Speakers

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