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
-
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
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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
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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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
“Illuminative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illuminative. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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