transformative

adjective

trans·​for·​ma·​tive tran(t)s-ˈfȯr-mə-tiv 

: causing or able to cause an important and lasting change in someone or something

a transformative experience

And she'll tell anyone who asks about her transformative weeks working for UNICEF in Congo and Cambodia.

—S. L. Price

It is increasingly hard to escape the conclusion that American politics has entered one of those rare transformative moments that shape the content of our public discourse and the direction of our governance for generations.

—Doug Ireland

Examples of transformative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Boldness: The relentless commitment to go beyond cautious, small-scale reforms and instead push for the bold, transformative changes necessary for both human well-being and the planet’s survival. —Aparna Rae, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

When done correctly, warning labels are important—not necessarily as a transformative public health intervention but as public recognition of a product’s harms and catalyst for further action. —Simar Bajaj / Made By History, TIME, 17 Mar. 2025

Policymakers must move beyond abstract numbers and rhetoric and witness the transformative power of supportive housing firsthand. —Pascale Leone, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2025

These experiences culminate in a transformative summer where Jone recognizes her evolution from girlhood to impending adulthood. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for transformative

• germinative
• corroborative
• determinative
• forgive
• ogive
• outlive
• relive
• give
• sieve
• resistive